The National Institute for Peer Support (NIPS) emphasizes the importance of “One-on-One Listening Turns” as a foundational practice in peer support. In these sessions, two individuals agree to take turns listening to each other without interruption or unsolicited advice, ensuring complete confidentiality and allowing the expression of deep emotions. These turns can vary in length, from a minute to an hour each.
Decades of experience have shown that individuals often gain clearer insights into topics they’ve discussed during these sessions, especially when they’ve been able to express associated emotions. While participants often feel better afterward, the primary goal is to enhance clarity and understanding and behave more effectively
The script for “One-on-One Listening Turns” follows a structured process:
- Opening – Both participants share something positive or new in their lives.
- Deciding Turns – They agree on the order and duration of speaking turns.
- Speaker’s Turn – The speaker begins with minor upsets and moves into deeper topics while the listener remains silent, engaged and supportive.
- Emotional Expression – The speaker may express emotions like crying, laughing, or trembling, which are encouraged without interruption. The listener may say something to encourage the expression of the speaker’s emotion. If it fails, just return to supportive listening.
- Transition – At the end of the turn, the listener asks a present-time question (e.g., “What are you looking forward to?”) to help the speaker return to the present.
- Role Reversal – They switch roles, repeating the process.
The approach emphasizes nonjudgmental listening, emotional release, and mental clarity.