Getting Listened To: A Practice to Reclaim Our Thinking and Heal from Oppression

Living in an unjust society takes a toll. We’ve had to numb out to continue to function. When we receive warm, attentive listening that honors confidentiality, we feel safe enough to release emotions wrapped around shameful or painful experiences. Being listened to in this way gives us permission to heal. Often after a listening session, we have new insights, get clearer thinking, and feel more relaxed and connected. This transformational experience is called Constructivist Listening: a practice that can profoundly increase our capacity to stand up against injustice and create transformational change. When done regularly, we can heal the root causes and effects of oppression—a necessary and missing aspect of sustainable social justice work.