Active Listening

Read the following excerpts as if these characters were clients that you work with-

•Write an example of the skills as if you were therapist/counselor. You may copy the excerpts and format (below) and paste into your own Word document to complete and submit.
•Identify an underlying emotion of what the client is saying.

EXCERPTS:

1. I have no place to turn. I am always alone ..I mean I have a lot of friends but I’m not sure they are real friends. We get together every weekend but sometimes when they don’t call I get all paranoid and feel like.... I don’t know. I just wish that sometimes I could be a fly on the wall, but I can’t so it makes me.... uh um.... uncomfortable. I guess.

Paraphrase:

Clarify:

Validate:

Identify:

2. I have this problem. My family is crazy. My parents are like two big kids. I feel like I always have to tell them what the right thing to do is..... and then they get mad at me. I know I can’t take care of them but it's like they mess around and are irresponsible and then they want to complain to me about how everyone else is messed up. I feel like when I call them there is always some issue they are not telling me about. Is it me? Am I the one who’s crazy here?

Summarize:

Clarify:

Validate:

Identify:

3. We have been married for just under a year. It is a second marriage for both of us. I have no children and she does and they are grown. Since I have been married I feel like I have to cater to her children. I can respect that I realize she’s their mother but come on already. I don’t want her to fight with her kids but I just can see how they take advantage of her. Then I get dragged into it. It upsets me to watch her give so much and get very little in return.

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Summarize:

Question:

Identify:

4. (From a child) I don’t want to go on the bus anymore. How come my parents can’t drive me? I don’t like school. I just want to stay home.

Question:

Summarize:

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