What’s so good about talking?

“It’s good to talk . . .”  Remember that advertising campaign?

These days we text, we e-mail, we tweet, we contact our friends on Facebook, - what’s so special about talking?

At Parent Lifeline, our volunteer listeners know that talking does things that other forms of communication can’t do.

Such as?

o  When you are able to discuss a problem with a trained listener, for as long as it takes, your thoughts become clearer and you may see a way forward. 

o       When you talk to someone who listens in a caring and respectful way, you begin to feel safe about letting                      some of your feelings show.  And you yourself learn more about your own feelings.

o       When someone is listening to you talk – really listening – it makes what you say important, valid, valuable.

o  When you’re talking you have to listen to yourself.  You find out things that you didn’t know before you heard yourself say them.

o      And you can call us as many times as you need to.

So?

It was true then, and it’s true now – “It’s good to talk.”