• sbv@sh.itjust.works
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    11 months ago

    it’s a hard transition to make when we want so desperately to help and are asked not to.

    Listening is helping. It took me a while to get that, but we’re helping just by being quiet.

    • Zorque@kbin.social
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      11 months ago

      Yes, but there’s a disconnect between helping directly and helping indirectly. Listening is indirect help, passive help. It’s helping simply by existing, which is antithetical to the above commenters train of logic.

      I’m not saying you’re wrong, or that it’s not something that people should learn to do… but it’s not always something you can solve by making that connection.

      • Ataraxia@sh.itjust.works
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        11 months ago

        Many people don’t want advice and that’s fine. I complain not because I want them to fix it but because it helps me organize my thoughts and verify that my complaints are valid so that I can see if it’s something I can fix myself, often though complaining about bad things that I cannot fix. I am perfectly capable of handling problems as an adult, but people need to vent so they can actually focus on a solution.

      • sbv@sh.itjust.works
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        11 months ago

        Listening is indirect help, passive help. It’s helping simply by existing

        Not in my experience. The listener is helping the speaker organize their thoughts, work through their feelings, and (in some cases) decide on a course of action. The listener needs to ask questions, understand the speaker, and help them sort things out.

        In a spouse or friend situation, the listener is probably also providing emotional support. Which can be immensely helpful, since it validates the speaker.

        There’s also follow up. The listener should talk to the speaker and see how their feelings have evolved.

    • maniclucky@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Yup. It’s akin to “not making a choice is itself a choice”. It doesn’t feel like it is, but can be equally impactful.