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Health and Wellbeing

The Essentials of Compassionate Listening

Listen well to someone who is struggling, without feeling you have to come up with the answer.

  • 19 minutes
  • 8 modules
  • 0.5 CPD hours
  • Certificate

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What you'll learn

  • Ask open questions that let someone describe things in their own words
  • Say back what you've heard so the person can check or correct it
  • Use phrases that make someone glad they spoke up
  • Plan around time pressure, distraction and feeling out of your depth
  • Point someone towards further support when the conversation needs it

About this course

When a pupil or colleague finally tells you what's wrong, the pull is to fix it. Usually that isn't what they came for. Think of the last time you rang someone after a bad day: you probably wanted to be heard, not advised.

This course gives you five simple habits for compassionate listening, from asking open questions to saying back what you've heard so the other person can check it or put it right. You'll get phrases for when the words are hard to find, such as "I'm really glad you told me". And you'll have ways round the usual barriers: no time, too many distractions, or the fear that you'll be out of your depth.

Five minutes of your full attention can do more than 20 distracted ones. You'll know how to give it, and when to find someone else who can help.

  • For early career teachers, governors and 7 other roles. All phases.

8 modules

Open in order

  1. Introduction

    1 min

  2. Define Compassionate Listening

    3 min

  3. Identify and Apply Compassionate Listening Techniques

    5 min

  4. Strategies

    6 min

  5. Reflection Activity

    2 min

  6. How to Display Empathetic Response

    3 min

  7. Key Takeaways

    2 min

  8. What Next?

    2 min