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BGO-20: Helping Conversations

BGO-20: The Helping Conversation – Deep listening and empathy in encounter

Practising 3 levels and 7 qualities in helping conversations

From listening well to listening deeply — holding the picture of the water lily, from what shows on the surface of a conversation to what lives underneath.
Integrates the ability to listen reflectively and perceive the other on 3 levels (thinking, feeling and intention), which was the main theme in Communications skills. Now we aim to develop Empathic Listening or Deep Listening skills. Related to the Thinking, Feeling and Will/Intention we enhance Imagination, Inspiration and Intuition. We aim to hold open spaces and form open questions in working with others. We apply planetary qualities to assess and enrich encounters.
Pre-requisite is the Communication Skills module.

Topics include

  • The mystery of encounter – the difference between meeting & encounter.
  • Integrating the ability to listen reflectively and perceive the other on 3 levels (thinking, feeling and intention).
  • Develop empathic listening.
  • Develop skills in non-reactive listening.
  • Develop capacity for Intuition.
  • Create open spaces and open questions in work with others.
  • Apply planetary qualities to assess and enrich encounters.
  • The Sun quality in the encounter and the helping conversation.
  • Hold the 4-step process for a helping conversation.

Online group-work explores

  • Giving and receiving feedback — describing what was helpful, free of judgement, interpretation or the search for motives.
  • Selecting an incident from your own life to bring into a Helping Conversation — a gift for the group to work with.
  • The roles of Speaker, Companion, Witness and Group-guide, in groups of 3 or 4.
  • The four phases of the Helping Conversation, practised phase by phase.
  • Understanding — exploring and summarising the Speaker’s issue or concern.
  • Empathy — exploring the feelings involved, and their connections to other times and incidents.
  • Exploring the Speaker’s motivation, intentions, values, hopes and possibilities.
BGO-20 HPC Helping Conversation - Holistic Biography Work - Front Page

Order a Learning Pack at any time

  • Study Guide: 70 pages
  • Recorded Lectures: 6
  • Suggested Reading, Journalling, Creative Activities
  • Independent Study: 60 hours, self-paced
  • Fee: 90 AUD – counts towards the full course
  • Order in our Shop

Add Facilitated Group-work

  • 20 hours real-time online, in small groups of 3 to 5
  • Offered once every year – see Course Dates
  • Fee: 380 AUD – full course 470 AUD
  • Enrol 4 to 6 weeks ahead – Enrolment Form (download)
  • Prerequisite: BGO-13 Communication Skills group-work