Learning Through Story Listening

Abstract

A lthough an essential communication skill, listening does not receive the same attention as speaking. As an often-required class, project or professional event, public speaking takes center stage. A person can experience a range of emotions associated with telling their story including shame, anxiety, and frustration but, depending on how they're being listened to, they may also experience validation, understanding, and empathy. The experience of being listened to and, more to the point, feeling heard can help reduce conflict, decrease physical pain, and foster emotional healing. At times, assuming the posture of listener can feel strenuous. Listening requires conscious effort and focused attention. However, listening serves as a powerful means of learning and connecting emotionally with others. Professionals in the healthcare industry would do well to recognize the positive impact that their nonjudgmental listening presence can provide. Through listening, a group may heal, learn, evolve, and achieve. 1 For the individual, research confirms that ''the lived experience of being listened to [is] fundamental to quality of life and health.'' 2 And physician listening serves as ''a healing and therapeutic agent'' for patients. 3 One's own narrative material serves as the initial source of the idea of self. However, the idea of self more fully emerges as a socially constructed concept created and recreated in the art of communication with the other. 4 This occurs within the second person space, or the space between the storyteller, or self, and story listener, or other. 5 In the second person space, the story listener's role becomes more significant, for strengthening the power of the story, alternatively aiding the teller in releasing, rearranging, replacing, or reframing a new one, 6 and recognizing the learning that may emerge from the story.

The application of teret-teret as a psychotherapy technique in the context of Ethiopia

“…Because of this, audiences are inspired, discussions are sparked, and learning opportunities are expanded. In this regards, the findings of this study was found to be consistent with other studies conducted previously including(McCann et al, 2019) and (VanSledright & Brophy, 1992).…”

“…Teret-teret necessitates a dynamic interplay between the contents, the story’s characters, the storyteller, the audience’s inner psychological factors, and the overall narrative settings. The mechanism is that stories keep young teenagers’ imaginative attention, which motivates them, promotes conversations, and broadens their learning possibilities (VanSledright & Brophy, 1992; McCann et al, 2019). As a result, research shows that positive narrative therapy using traditional fairy tales is an effective strategy for youth psychological well-being (Ruini et al, 2014).…”

Exploration of Adherence to the Immunosuppressive Medication in Kidney Transplant Recipients Based on Theory of Planned Behavior

“…This indicated that increasing specific self-efficacy may increase the effect of perceived behavioral control on medication adherence. Foundational to the human experience, story listening allows the sharing of information, communicates emotion, and engenders compassion (McCann et al, 2019). Listening to stories may be an effective means of intervening specific self-efficacy for KTRs.…”

The Narrative Shelter for Young People with Childhood Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence: A Concept for Creating Opportunities for Storytelling, Storylistening, and Resilience

“…Storytelling can be understood as the performative act of narrating experiences to convey meaning (Archibald, 2008;Christensen et al, 2018;Fuccio et al, 2016), while storylistening is the act of actively and emphatically engaging with a story being told with readiness to be taken somewhere unexpected and commitment to mutual learning (Archibald, 2008;Christensen et al, 2018;Dillon & Craig, 2021;McCann, 2019;Sen, 2023).…”