The Power of Empathic Listening

Empathic Listening can be a powerful tool to build trust and rapport with those in your care. By listening to individuals, you demonstrate your commitment to them and communicate the message that they are people of value and worth. Empathic Listening can also help you positively influence the behavioral choices of the individuals in your care.

The process of Empathic Listening is not automatic. Being a good listener is a skill that takes time and effort to develop.

The Benefits of Empathic Listening

Empathic Listening is an approach to listening that allows an individual to talk through a problem and feel understood. It has a number of benefits.

It takes the burden off of you. You don't need to have answers or provide advice, which can sometimes be interpreted as a lecture. Also, when you listen empathically, you aren't telling the person what to do.

You can uncover the real issues. The person you are talking with is the one who leads the conversation, not you. You will gain insight into his issues without the need for prying questions.

It allows the other person to vent. The other individual can release his feelings without having to hear advice or be judged by his behavior.

It's an excellent tool to let someone know you understand his concern. The need to feel understood is important to us all.  

Empathy is the ability to project oneself into the personality of another person in order to better understand that person's emotions or feelings. Through empathic listening the listener lets the speaker know, "I understand your problem and how you feel about it, I am interested in what you are saying and I am not judging you." The listener unmistakably conveys this message through words and non-verbal behaviors, including body language. In so doing, the listener encourages the speaker to fully express herself or himself free of interruption, criticism or being told what to do. It is neither advisable nor necessary for a mediator to agree with the speaker, even when asked to do so. It is usually sufficient to let the speaker know, "I understand you and I am interested in being a resource to help you resolve this problem."

Remember people don’t always need advice, sometimes all they need is a hand to hold, an ear to listen and a heart to understand them 

"The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them."