Active listening means paying full attention to what another person is saying. Listening is sometimes misrepresented as a ‘passive’ task because one party is not talking. However, to engage in active listening means concentrating on the messages being spoken and conveyed by another. It also means ensuring that the message you convey is one of being receptive and responsive.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Helen Mentha and Kylie Thompson whose work “Engaging Conversations: Substance Use and Therapeutic Processes” influenced this module.