Active Listening in Social Work: The Value and Rewards

by Patricia Smith

     Active listening and being fully present with others cannot be underestimated.  Every person has a story and every person wants to be heard. In today’s busy world of technology, doing more, and pressures to meet deadlines, a client’s need to be listened to is sometimes rushed. However, building a therapeutic relationship means listening, really listening, to the person sitting in front of you. Active listening validates one’s need to vent, one’s need to be understood, and one’s need to be heard. It helps a client process thoughts. It helps with empathy as social workers put themselves in the shoes of another to try to understand what life is like for the client. The bonding formed through the use of active listening makes social workers the go-to persons for clients and colleagues alike.

     Through listening, I have gained insight into how to improve systems and insight into what is needed for the population served. Listening strengthens my confidence as a social worker and builds a trusting relationship with clients. This skill connects people, helps people get to know one another, challenges preconceived perceptions, breaks down barriers of stereotypes, gives insight into how individuals view and cope with their experiences, and changes the mindset of What is wrong with this person? to What happened to this person?  Active listening emphasizes the value of human relationships, is person centered, strengthens the social work profession, and is important in teamwork. Sometimes being listened to is all a person needs. Listening helps a client to process loss and validates those who are lonely, confused, or scared. It lets people know that they are valued, that they matter. 

     I have found that this skill rewards me with something money cannot buy. I have been sought after because of my attentiveness. I have been given hugs, and I have been given countless words of gratitude.  I have learned different ways of viewing things by listening to an individual’s experience. Busyness and heavy workloads will always be part of the job. At the end of the day, though, knowing that I took the time to listen and be fully present with a client in the time of need gives me satisfaction in knowing I am doing my best for the constituents I serve. 

Patricia Smith is a non-traditional student at the University at Buffalo, School of Social Work. She is interested in working with older adults upon earning her MSW this spring.