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Mindful Listening is a quality and a skill for caregivers which engages our capacity to be present for another as well as being present for our selves. By training caregivers in the practice of mindfulness, including the Four Foundations of Mindfulness ( i.e., body, feelings, thoughts, and objects of mind) and by appreciating the effects of meeting suffering in end-of-life care, Mindful Listening can help develop a nonjudgmental and compassionate quality of awareness. Through acceptance, a quality associated with mindfulness, caregivers can experience and then offer a more open and relaxed presence. This may lessen the tendency to "fix" situations and establishes a greater sense of interconnectedness with those whom they serve. In their challenging role, caregivers may experience prolonged periods of stress and moral distress which may lead to burnout, secondary trauma, and empathy fatigue. The practice of mindful listening can offer a preventative measure within a continuum of self-care strategies.
About the author
(Rev.) Andrew Blake lives in Toronto, Canada and works as a Buddhist Chaplain, Psychotherapist, and End-of-Life Educator. Graduating from Upaya Institute's Chaplaincy Program developed by Roshi Joan Halifax, PhD, he now teaches Mindfulness and Compassion in End-of-Life Care, a professional certificate offered through the University of Toronto.
