Bold Listening Scholarship

When I was volunteering as a Crisis Textline counselor, my main responsibility was to respond and listen to texters who were experiencing crisis and traumatizing moments. Active listening in these situations consisted of reading and understanding what the texter was worried about, exploring the details that the texter is comfortable sharing, and finally providing emotional support by either confirming their feelings and thoughts or providing advice/ideas. At the end of the day, active listening is when we provide a safe, non-judgmental environment for the other person to express themselves. Even though these crisis conversations were conducted through texts, I have taken these techniques and applied them to in-person situations. When I am talking to someone in person, I make sure that I maintain a comfortable level of eye contact and avoid distractions, such as my phone. Furthermore, I use body language to show the speaker I am paying attention, such as nodding. With all of this in mind, I would also continue to provide a safe environment for the speaker and give them the opportunity to talk about everything they want to say, just like through the texting platform. Once they are done talking, I would then respond by agreeing, clarifying, or asking questions to continue to explore how they feel. Active listening sounds like a straightforward task. However, I feel like it is crucial to listen properly. In my mind, this person is gathering the courage and strength to reach out to me in a time of need, so I should understand and respect that. To me, listening is a gesture that can lead to trust and support. It can lead to life-altering decisions; therefore, active listening is an important skill to have.