How can peer support providers use active listening to help clients navigate healthcare systems?

Active listening is simply listening to the entity with full concentration, open mind & empathy if needed. This not only helps to reduce conflict of interest but also understand the perspective which could be unbiased. Chances of being judged also gets minimized. This also gives a sense of importance & confidence to the person speaking their concerns or POV.

Active listening is a communication technique that involves fully concentrating, understanding, responding, and remembering what is being said. It's a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding. Active listening involves paying close attention to the speaker, showing that you're listening through verbal and nonverbal cues, and providing feedback to confirm understanding. It's often used in counseling, conflict resolution, and everyday interactions to improve communication and build rapport.

Active listening is more than the verbal expression of our clients. It requires absolute presence in the moment, listening to the silence, the body language, the defences, and holding the space for a client to truly be seen, validated and heard. Finding the way through, to the heart of each client sitting in front of you, requires understanding, knowledge and curiosity to fully see the person, and in that, to fully see the person's pain, and listen to who they are in their world, and allowing them to be heard, seen and understood. That to us is active listening.

Active listening goes beyond simply hearing someone speak. It involves giving your full attention, both verbally and nonverbally, to truly understand their message. This includes making eye contact, asking clarifying questions, and summarizing what you've heard to confirm understanding. Most importantly, one needs to manage their own thoughts and attempt to minimize or avoid any pre-conceived notions or judgements regarding the other person and the content the other person is verbalizing. This act in itself will improve the likelihood of connection between the listener and the subject. By actively listening, you can build trust, improve communication, and connect better with the other person.

Active listening is the intentional act of fully engaging with a speaker, striving to understand the deeper meaning and emotions behind their words through undivided attention, empathy, and clarifying questions.

Active listening helps to create a safe and supportive environment where individuals feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings.

Healthcare system and its various settings are becoming increasingly complex with every passing year. Peer support providers can be invaluable allies for clients navigating the complexities of healthcare systems. By using active listening, peer support providers can create a safe space for clients to express their anxieties and goals. Open-ended questions like "What are your biggest concerns?" and summarizing key points like "It sounds like you're feeling overwhelmed" help build trust and ensure understanding.

Active listening might not only help you understand your peers and team members, but it also fosters trust and relationships. In most cases, having such a discussion would re-energise the speakers and make them feel validated.

Healthcare systems can be complex and confusing. Active listening allows providers to clarify information, explain procedures, and answer questions to ensure clients understand their healthcare options.

As a Peer Support Specialist that’s worked for an organization that implemented active listening, I found it beneficial because I could be real and honest, the hiccup being the hurdles of our current health care system are equally understood as broken. Then we find acceptance, “It is what it is”. I’d suggest we address the elephant in the room of our power based system.

Use verbal and nonverbal cues to show that you are engaged, such as nodding, making eye contact, and using encouraging words like "I see" or "Go on."

Demonstrate genuine interest, empathy, and respect for the speaker by providing undivided attention, asking clarifying questions, offering non-verbal cues of engagement, and periodically summarizing the speaker's main points to ensure accurate understanding.

Be honestly present. There’s been moments where I had to be mindful of where the emotions and conversation were going & know that it’s ok to stand up and remove yourself from any situation. I feel this is not reinforced enough to Certified Peer Support Specialist. It’s ok if your actively listening to anyone, especially at work, and to have the ability to step away.

Active listening is when you calm your instinct to respond and simply focus on taking in information . Tune out all opinion and judgement and collect what the person is saying

Practice active listening with friends or family members by giving them your full attention during conversations. Use verbal and nonverbal cues to show that you are listening, such as nodding and maintaining eye contact.

Active listening is a powerful tool for fostering deeper connections and ensuring clear communication. It goes beyond simply hearing someone speak; it's about truly understanding their message. To practice active listening, minimize distractions and show your full attention through body language and eye contact. Resist the urge to interrupt and instead, use clarifying questions to delve deeper. Finally, summarize key points to confirm your understanding and show you're engaged. By focusing on understanding rather than formulating your response, you can build trust. Remember, active listening is a skill that takes practice, so be patient with yourself and enjoy the improved communication it brings.

I practice it by making the point of waiting. Listen more, but honestly listen. So much is said and not said, but if you’re actually listening a simple reflection confirming to the other person that you heard what they said goes a long way. WAIT Why Am I Talking? Helps me . ??

Practice active listening through reflective writing. After a conversation, write down your thoughts and feelings about what was discussed, focusing on how you listened and responded.

Active listening goes beyond mere hearing; it is a powerful tool for building trust, fostering effective communication, and strengthening relationships by creating a safe space where the speaker feels validated, supported, and truly heard.