Nutritional Endocrinology Practitioner Training (NEPT)
Clinical Pearl
January 24th, 2016

The Art of Listening

One of the hallmarks of gifted and effective health practitioners is their ability to be truly present and listen to what their patient or client is saying. In our broken modern disease care model, practitioners are not usually afforded the time to listen.

I’ve heard over and over again from my patients and clients how truly grateful they are to be heard and acknowledged. It’s the first step in establishing rapport, trust, and a relationship that fosters true healing.

When you ask questions, make sure you come from a place of wonder and curiosity, not a rote “follow the protocol” mentality.

And allow for white space. Often, that scared and ailing person in front of you is so unaccustomed to being asked the caring and detailed questions about who they are that it takes time to formulate an answer. Become comfortable with the silence and allow their souls to emerge.

Often, we are so quick to offer responses, suggestions, and potential solutions that we fail to truly understand the depth of the person’s pain and experience.

The best gift you can give your clients and patients is the gift of presence. When you truly care and ask questions that allow them to explore what lead to their current state, you’ve established a therapeutic relationship from which true healing can emerge.