[ Contents | Search | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Bill Shannon
Date: 16 Oct 2004
Time: 19:52:26 -0500
Remote Name: 207.38.200.138
Hey guys…excellent article, therapeutic listening is an invaluable skill worth developing. In my opinion it takes a mature person (clinician) to be an effective listener, one who is self aware and has perhaps explored their own baggage. To be an active listener is to live in the present moment, aware of feelings and thoughts as they arise. This takes practice and commitment. Unfortunately, listening is a skill not usually stressed in schools that churn out therapists. I think many clinicians have been taught to approach therapy from the “doctor knows all” model with the intention to fix the problem though the “one size fits all” approach. Therefore they may approach clients with a preconceived notion and have already begun forecasting the future. Not only can this be harmful for some clients, but it is not listening and not paying attention to the client needs. I believe that we owe it to ourselves and our clients to be here in the present, helping to create a safe environment where we meet the client and then go from there.