January 26th, 2021

Listening skills for parents...

“Listen. People start to heal the moment they feel heard.” – Cheryl Richardson
 
Over the past few days, we have been talking about how to improve our listening skills using a fictional character called Jess. Check out those posts to find out more.
 
Today, we are sharing some top tips for showing someone that you are actively listening!
 

1. Ask open questions, but only when necessary… If the person is talking freely, then questions may not be appropriate, so use your judgement. Asking lots of questions may seem as though you are trying to direct the conversation too!
2. Paraphrase or summarise… Simply shortening what someone says back to them can be a great tool for encouraging self-reflection. This also shows the person you heard what they said.
3. Use open body language… Be relaxed, lean into the conversation, smile and nod, even tilt your head slightly and make eye contact (but not too much!). This shows that you are not distracted and are only focused on what they are saying.
4. Stop what you are doing… I’m sure you have experienced times where you are trying to share your feelings and the other person is pottering around or playing on their phone. Just stop, and follow steps 1-3 to show you are value what they have to say.  

 
If you are a struggling parent/carer, we are currently offering free consultations. Please contact us when you feel ready. 

If you feel in need of support or specific advice, please get in touch. 
​
How else can HappiMe help you or your child? We offer targeted coaching programmes, which can be really useful for supporting you to develop more helpful thinking patterns. Find out more here.