Active Listening In Counseling

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Recommended: Adopt simple listening techniques to ensure that you listen effectively

Active listening is the most important aspect of counseling. It allows the other person to feel comfortable with the therapist, and increases understanding. This can also be a difficult practice to master, because people need to be aware of everything around them. When a person is unable to truly actively listen there can a negative result can occur. This is the reason for many arguments, and could be why counselors are needed. One of the best ways to practice active listening is by listening to family’s opinions.
Opinions are an important part of a person’s thinking process, and shows the difference between individuals. The opinions range from weak willed ones that can be changed with discussion, to strong willed opinions that can create …show more content…

For instance during the similar conversation we were seated opposite each other, and on the same ground. I used a few techniques to show I was listening. For instance, I paraphrased many of the things that he said during the conversation. I didn’t feel that I needed to voice my opinion because he was stating the same things that I was thinking. I did question him a few times to see the reason behind his opinion, which went into his own background. I also did not lean forward during my discussion with the similar person, and I was more relaxed during the conversation. During the dissimilar conversation I was so focused on not being listened to that I forgot my purpose, which was to listen. In the similar discussion I did not forget my purpose of the assignment. I think that this will help me in future endeavors, because I now recognize that I need to stay humble in order to make sure the discussion is about the other …show more content…

I tried to make sure that I noticed the nonverbal signals I was giving, but I was unable to recognize them until after the discussion. This is because I stopped actively listening during the dissimilar conversation. When I first started the discussion with the dissimilar person I noticed that I was a bit relaxed, but not completely as I was watching him pace. He had tense shoulders, and his face became a bit red as he was voicing his opinion. His pace increased during the discussion, and he stopped when I leaned forward and expressed the opposing viewpoint. When he stopped and moved back his eyes widened, and he appeared defensive as if I were going to verbally attack him. This defensive reaction caused him to stop pacing, and look at me. I realize now that when he looked at me I became defensive, because he was standing over me, and appeared intimidating. This caused my face to

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