COMMUNICATING & CONNECTING IN RELATIONSHIPS

Communicating & Connecting In Relationships

Communicating & Connecting In Relationships

Summary

With a use of sensible techniques and light touch, Dr. Jim Petersen collected years of pastoral ministry and counseling into a casual volume filled with techniques, examples and practical tips to practice. The book points out the court room cultures like communication that often sets individuals at likelihood with each other. People mostly think that they listen fine but actually they don't and individuals walk away without hearing anything, disconnected and misunderstood. Readers will recognition in chuckle at the tongue in cheek other than the spot on smooth theory of emotions by brain. It shows why and how we get confused and upset in difficult situations and how to tackle that situation. Practical groundwork lies to better manage emotionally loaded situations. This book shows communication that works and is equally appropriate for professionals, such as pastors and therapists and for the general public (Petersen, 2007).

The Talker-Listener Process is the key to creating an environment where two or more people can talk and listen to each other well promoting a healthy communication atmosphere. The Talker Listener Card, (TLC), can help those who want to improve their ability to interact with others and communicate better, especially the listening. The ingenious Talker Listener Card gives a taking turn method to end arguing as we know it. It works for couples, business relationships, church listening programs, counselors, group discussions and the family dinner table listening game. Its design is crafted to be a helpful reminder of the roles of the Talker and the Listener. The TLC can be folded into a tent shaped stand with the sides of the tent facing two people who are trying to communicate. It helps with clear description, goals and actions of each in the communication process. The TLC is like a traffic light helping the individuals facing the card to understand what they need to be doing at that moment depending on whether they are the Talker, or the Listener.

Thirty listening techniques will help the reader immediately begin to turn enemies into friends, poor relationships into decent ones and good relationships into better ones. These accessible skills are being used in pastoral counseling classes, counseling offices, church staffs, professional offices, on dates, in corporate board rooms and at kitchen tables around the country. The book moves onto developing good communication skills using honest authentic listening techniques Petersen offers. We can start by avoiding the traps listeners often fall into when failing their interest in another's words. There is a whole section filled with helpful suggestions in employing good questions, body language and appropriate comments to keep us engaged with each other. The author also offers advice on helping us understand the communication process in stressful and unusually difficult circumstances.

James Petersen uses five parts to illustrate the talking and listening process to help us understand a better way to communicate with each other and understand one another in his book, Why don't we listen better? Communicating and ...