Professional Listening Takes Work
How much time have you spent learning to listen? We focus on reading, writing and even speaking – but listening as a communication skill is often overlooked. As expert practitioners who rely on listening, it is critical to devote time to crafting this art.
Have you ever been thrown in a coaching or clinical conversation by what your client has said? Perhaps you noticed a gut reaction to their words, perhaps you lost concentration, felt uncomfortable or disturbed. After some reflection, you may have come to realise the visceral reactions you experienced during the session and how they influenced your presence and engagement. This undoubtedly has an unintended impact on the client relationship and their experience of your engagement – known as counter-transference.
A key outcome from my doctoral research into listening and listening training is that to deliver a high-quality listening experience for others, we must engage in inner-work that prepares us for listening to everything – not just what we want to hear. And this takes work – a deep look “under the hood”.
At a meta-level, the very mechanisms that make coaching or therapy successful (i.e. high-quality listening) is what will help you to develop you as an expert listener – because being listened to raises your self-awareness. The aim is to hold respectful attention at the same time as recognising and managing your own visceral reactions.
Join me in a guided supervision journey – I won’t be teaching you step-by-step listening skills because listening isn’t about doing. Instead, I will guide you in the process of becoming a true and authentic listener.
Core Concepts
Learn the fundamental psychological theories that relate to high-quality listening.
Advanced Topics
In-depth exploration of your own accelerators and limitations in listening.
Learning Resources
Additional materials and tools to support and enrich your journey of self growth and development.