Active listening presumes that the counselor will listen carefully without interfering with the patient’s ability to open up, suggesting that certain barriers may prevent this. These are the “12 Roadblocks to Communication,” and any or all of them may interfere with active listening (Summers, 2016). If I previously thought that the two worst things I did were judging and disagreeing, after the Listening Exercise with James, I discovered that the two primary roadblocks for me are reassuring and providing solutions or suggestions. The other person might think that their issues are not fully acknowledged and, as a result, are devalued. Furthermore, they risk being viewed as someone who talks too much about their challenges.
Naturally, this does not benefit the person who can actively speak out. Furthermore, a hasty solution I can provide may not always be the best, because the person may discuss other issues that contradict it. Even if it appears that the person speaking about their negative experiences wants support, many people simply want to be listened to without interruption and to learn as much as possible. As a result, the presence of these roadblocks can influence whether or not a person freely shares their problems (Summers, 2016). If a person notices that a counselor is rushed when interrupting or deciding to help and offer a solution, the client may conclude that they are not fully paying attention to their issues and rush to get rid of them.
Also, an individual should not feel as if a counselor is reassuring them simply because they have expressed a desire for reassurance. For some people, the phrases “I know how you feel” or “This will pass” do not sound comforting, but rather like another way to get rid of them (Summers, 2016). This will be especially ineffective for people with low self-esteem or those who, as children, were afraid to complain to their parents because they were angry. To improve in this area and avoid using these roadblocks, a counselor should practice listening skills and train themselves not to use them (Moreno et al., 2020). This could take a few sessions with various individuals, and it is also necessary to understand why I use these roadblocks in communication and to find an explanation for changing my communication at its core.
Reference
Moreno, J. M., Sanyal, K. A., Firoozmand, F., Rutter, P., & Harder, M. K. (2020). Reflective practices in community development: a grounded analysis. Systemic Practice and Action Research, 33, 501-525.
Summers, N. (2016). Fundamentals of case management practice: Skills for the human services. Cengage Learning.