Listening Is Justice Work

Because listening—done well—isn’t just “nice.” It’s radical. It’s justice. And it changes lives.

At Sidewalk Talk, we train people to listen. But not just any kind of listening—the kind that restores dignity and power to those who have been silenced, dismissed, or unseen. This morning, in my Process Work Consult group, I presented a case, and the conversation caught fire: How do therapists—and anyone—hold power in listening?

Therapists love to think they’re helping. But what if helping is actually about letting go of control rather than trying to change someone? True transformation happens when we listen from a power-with stance rather than a power-over or power-under stance. This is justice work—because real listening disrupts hierarchy and makes space for the parts of ourselves that have been pushed aside or labeled as bad.

Consider these two famous therapy sessions with Gloria:

• Fritz Perls video: Watch how he dictates and pushes without her consent. Does it feel like real connection?

• Carl Rogers video: Notice how he meets Gloria with presence and deep respect.

At Sidewalk Talk, we’re updating our HEAR Training to dive deeper into power and embodiment in listening. We want our volunteers to be able to recognize when they’re slipping into power-over listening, even subtly, and instead practice heart-centered listening—where both people are fully seen and honored.

Want to explore this more? Join us in May when we launch HEAR 2.0 training after our bus tour! We’ll be offering a shorter five-week deep listening course—one for individuals and one for couples.

Because listening—done well—isn’t just “nice.” It’s radical. It’s justice. And it changes lives.

💬 What do you notice about the way power shows up in listening?