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 Beyond the
Basics:

Active Listening for

Trauma- and
Violence-Informed
Care

Elizabeth Orr RN PhD,

Brock University

www.phnprep.ca
 The day I
knew
listening was
more than a
basic skill…

3
The Active Listening Cycle

Preparing to
Listen

Listening To
Responding
and For
 “
- Ferrell & Coyle
 Preparing to Listen - Mindfulness

Identify and accept emotions View people > biological processes

See another’s perspective Neural pathways for empathy

(Bernstein, 2019)
 “
- Kabat-Zinn
 “
- Unknown
 Preparing to Listen - Mindfulness

Assess Enter a
Look physical place of
inward sensations wisdom

Assess Assess
emotions capacity to
reason

9
 How do you
communicate to
someone that you are
ready to listen?

10
 “
- Stein-Parbury
Preparing to Listen - Attending
S sit at an angle

U uncross legs and arms

R relax

E eye contact

T touch

Y your intuition
(Stickley, 2011)
 What are you
listening for?

13
Listening for knowledge

Observations Theme

Content Feelings

(Stein-Parbury, 2017)
 “
- Doane & Varcoe
Listening for understanding

(Doane & Varcoe, 2020)

 How do you know if
someone has actually
listened to you?

17
 Responding – types of responses
Questioning
“what is worrying you most?”

Reassuring
“you will feel better soon”

Analyzing
“you’re afraid to speak up”

Advising
“tell your mother it’s your life”

Understanding
“it seems like it's frustrating for you to be asked the same questions repeatedly”
1
 Responding  Understanding

PARAPHRASING SEEKING CLARIFICATION

“would I be correct in saying …” “I’m not certain what you mean by…”

CONNECTING THOUGHTS &

REFLECTING FEELINGS
FEELINGS
“that must be really frustrating”
“you feel anxious when baby cries so hard”

SUMMARIZING

“overall, I get the picture that…”

(Stein-Parbury, 2017)
1
 “
- Public Health Agency of Canada
Active Listening for TVIC

Understand trauma and

Create emotionally and
violence and their impact on
physically safe environments
people’s lives

Active Listening

Foster opportunities for

Strengths-based and
choice, collaboration, and
capacity building approaches
connection
(PHAC, 2018)
Active Listening for TVIC
• Preparing to listen e.g., examining biases
and assumptions
• Preparing for disclosures & appropriate
Create emotionally and
responses physically safe environments
• Listening for socio-contextual influences

Active Listening

Foster opportunities for

Strengths-based and
choice, collaboration, and
capacity building approaches
connection
Active Listening for TVIC
• Preparing to listen e.g., examining biases
and assumptions
• Preparing for disclosures & appropriate
responses
• Listening for socio-contextual influences
• Attending – using your intuition to foster
safety and trust
• Listening for and responding with
understanding

Active Listening

Foster opportunities for

Strengths-based and
choice, collaboration, and
capacity building approaches
connection
Active Listening for TVIC
• Preparing to listen e.g., examining biases
and assumptions
• Preparing for disclosures & appropriate
responses
• Listening for socio-contextual influences
• Attending – using your intuition to foster
safety and trust
• Listening for and responding with
understanding

Active Listening

• Listening for significance/meaning

• Listening for and responding with Strengths-based and
understanding
capacity building approaches
Active Listening for TVIC
• Preparing to listen e.g., examining biases
and assumptions
• Preparing for disclosures & appropriate
responses
• Listening for socio-contextual influences
Active Listening
• Listening for significance/meaning
• Listening for and responding with
understanding
• Attending – using your intuition to foster
safety and trust
• Listening for and responding with
understanding
• Listening for capacity
• Listening for socio-contextual influences
THANK YOU!
@phnprep

@PrepPhn @LizOrr06

www.phnprep.ca eorr@brocku.ca
 References

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/health-risks-
safety/trauma-violence-informed-approaches-policy-practice.html