How to Listen comes with a good pedigree. Commissioned by The Samaritans, a UK-based charity which offers supportive listening to those struggling, it weaves advice together with real life stories, reflections from professional counsellors and volunteers, apt quotes, practical exercises and 'fill in pages’. We found it a really useful guide to listening skills.
Not all the book is directly relevant to the kind of conversation which aims to unpick inner struggles. But much of it is – and all of it is useful. The sections are wide-ranging and very practical, including why listening is important, how to tell if someone needs to talk, how to start a tricky conversation and what not to do when listening.
Listening requires you to set aside your own ego, and to give your full concentration to whoever's speaking.
The book has a 79% five-star rating on Amazon. (We at The Torn Project have ourselves given it a positive review!)
Many of the reviewers seem already to believe that listening is the bedrock of offering support, and it's obvious that they use the approach in their lives. It's impressive that many then add that the book has improved their skills and taught them strategies they didn't already know.
How to Listen: Tools for opening up conversations when it matters most.
Author: Katie Columbus
Publisher: Kyle Books
Available as Paperback, Kindle edition, Audiobook, 2021.