1 CE Hours Clinical SkillsFoundational Skills

Active Listening: The Foundation of Effective Therapy

This course provides mental health professionals with foundational knowledge and practical skills in active listening—the cornerstone of effective therapeutic communication. Participants will explore the difference between passive hearing and active engagement, master core components including attending behaviors, paraphrasing, and reflection of feelings, and learn to apply these skills in challenging clinical situations including silence, high emotion, and resistance.

1

CE Hours

4

Modules

15

Quiz Questions

1

Est. Minutes

What you'll learn

  • Define active listening and differentiate it from passive hearing in clinical contexts
  • Identify and demonstrate the six core components of active listening (attending, minimal encouragers, paraphrasing, reflection of feeling, clarifying questions, and summarizing)
  • Apply active listening techniques in challenging clinical situations including client silence, high emotion, and resistance
  • Recognize common barriers to active listening and implement strategies to overcome them in clinical practice
  • Adapt active listening approaches for diverse cultural contexts and communication styles
  • Develop a personal plan for ongoing skill development in active listening

Who it's for

Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Psychologists, Counseling Students

Approval & credit

CounselorReady is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP #7760). This course awards 1 NBCC-approved CE hour; a certificate is issued on completion. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CounselorReady is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.

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