Ascentis Counselling Week three

To develop awareness of good and bad listening skills and

attitudes.

Session Objectives

• Check in with yourself and the group• Consider, amend and sign group contract

(unless done already)• Share homework on Good and Bad Listeners• Watch and discuss listening and not listening • DVD• Make a list of things good listeners do/things

good listeners don’t do.• Consider Guidelines for Active Listening and

identify own current strengths and weaknesses• Identify personal helping styles and potential

impact in helping relationships

Check-in

How are you right now?

• Your thoughts

• Your feelings?

• Your body?

• Your spirit?

Group Agreement

• Consider the draft agreement.• Suggest amendments or additions, if required.• Sign the agreement.

Good and Bad Listeners

• Share your experiences of a ood or bad listener with the group.

• Watch and discuss the dvd• Access the Edinburgh Guidelines for Good

Listening, via MOODLE.• List the qualities, skills, attitudes and habits

which characterize good and bad listening, using the pro forma provided (on-going).

Active Listening Skills

• Widely used in counselling and counselling skills contexts.

• A special and focussed way of listening.

• A range of skills which we will explore in the coming weeks.

• An important part of counselling and the person-centred approach

• Used to communicate the core conditions.

Guidelines for Good Listening

• Listen with undivided attention and without interrupting; remember 90% of counselling time involves active listening.

• Pay attention to suspending your own judgements of the person you are listening to.

• Try to put your own feelings and experiences to one side, even (or especially) if you have experienced a similar situation to that of the person you are listening to. This will help you to gain a better understanding of how the other person feels.

• Try to see the world from the other person’s point of view, or from his/her frame of reference.

• Remember what has been said.• Pay attention to non-verbal as well as verbal

communication (e.g. tone of voice or posture).• Try to tolerate pauses and silences, which are natural.

Guidelines for Good Listening

• Avoid asking lots of questions, especially to break silences.

• When you do ask questions, try to ensure that they are open questions

• Pay attention to your seating, can you see and be seen easily by the other person, are you both comfortable, are their any physical barriers between you

• Try to maintain good eye contact without staring!• Smile – if appropriate – it can convey warmth and

understanding• Try to maintain a relaxed, alert and open posture,

leaning slightly towards the person, but without infringing his/her personal space.

• Try to remember that it is the quality of the responses which matter: not the quantity.

• Be patient and do not force the pace.

Personal Helping Styles

• Complete the work sheet provided and, if you wish, share your findings with another person in the group

Homework