Hearing is physiological and only becomes listening when we understand what others are saying.
People are often heard saying 'I hear what yousay' and all too often that's all they do - they hear a noise.
Maybe they're too busy to listen to what's being said, they're not interested and/or don't want to get involved. Listening Is.... Listening is psychological and it's much more than hearing. To listen effectively we need to have an open mind, a genuine interest in the speaker and give them our complete attention.
Not everybody is prepared or able to do this but the Professional Listener is.
Listening is the absorption of the meaning of words and sentences and listening demands attention, concentration and training. A person who incorporates listening with concentration is actively listening. Active listening is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding.
When people talk to one another they often don't listen attentively because they're distracted, they're half listening and thinking of something else. When people are in conflict (arguing) they are often formulating a response to what's being said, as a result their concentration drops and they do not actively listen.
Instead they're often more interested in scoring points and winning the argument.
We all need somebody who will listen to us in a non-judgemental way, somebody who has been trained to actively listen and who is prepared to give us the time we deserve.
A trained listener - Your Professional Listener - focuses exclusively on you, the speaker, and by doing so encourages you to say what you really want to.
This attention also allows you the opportunity to understand and accept your feelings and formulate an appropriate reaction to your personal issues.
Listening is therefore much more than hearing. It is a skill that can be learned, just like reading and writing. However, it takes time and practice.
Having completed extensive training as both a counsellor and life coach and practised both for some time, your Professional Listener's experience has enabled him to identify the need for a service available in the "here and now" rather than one which relies on a series of carefully structured steps which may not follow the pattern that best suits your particular needs.
For more information on the important differences between counselling, life coaching and professional listening send for: What is Professional Listening PDF- please visit the Free Stuff Page
I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realise that what you heard is not what I meant.
