Listen unselfishly.

Listen without planning how you will respond.

Listen to hear three important themes:

1. The content: what is the information being shared with me?
2. The emotion: how does the information being shared affect the person speaking to me? What can I draw from strong or subtle clues in expression, tone, pace of speech?
3. What does this mean to the speaker?

Respond with a focus on the person speaking – not turning the focus on you. Unselfish listening – listening that isn’t just focused on planning on what to say next – is a powerful force for good. It’s hard and, as far as I can tell, it takes practice for a lifetime, but it’s worth trying again and again.

Dr. Lori Puterbaugh

© 2016

Posts are for information and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed to be therapeutic advice. If you are in need of mental health assistance, please contact a licensed professional in your area.