Providing guidance and advice on the challenging art of listening, this book responds directly to the expressed learning needs of hospice and palliative care volunteers regarding their communication skills in end-of-life care.Listening can be mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausting, often highlighted in books about hospice and palliative care but never taking the spotlight. This accessible companion provides hospice and palliative care workers with a variety of helpful insights and suggestions drawn from a solid base of current theoretical concepts and clinical research.With personal reflections on being listened to, the guide includes strategies for becoming a more effective listener, as well as exploring the challenges of listening, the need for self-care and spiritual and ethical considerations. By expanding their own capacity for empathy, compassion and understanding the wider narrative of illness, hospice and palliative care volunteers will become even better listeners in their essential roles.

Foreword by Stephen Claxton-Oldfield. Preface. Introduction. 1. Responding to Cues. 2. Three Approaches to Listening. 3. Helpful Things to Say. 4. Benefits and Risks of Volunteering. 5. Your Own Story and Grief Journey.6. Feeling Heard and Understood. Conclusion - Continuing the Journey. References. About the Author.