FIVE LEVELS OF LISTENING TO DETERMINE INTRESTS
Client: I’ve tried to get along with my father, but it doesn’t work out. He’s too hard on
me.
Level 1: I’m sure it will all work out in time [reassurance and denial].
Or
You ought to try harder to see his point of view [advice].
Or
Why can’t you two get along? [question].
(Level 1 is a question, reassurance, denial, or advice.)
Level 2: You’re having a hard time getting along with your father.
(Level 2 is a response to only the content, or cognitive portion, of the message; feelings
are ignored.)
Level 3: You feel discouraged because your attempts to get along with your
father have not been very successful.
(Level 3 has understanding but no direction; it is a reflection of feeling and meaning
based on the client’s explicit message. In other words, a Level 3 response reflects both
the feeling and the situation. In this response “You feel discouraged” is the reflection of
the feeling, and “because of not getting along” is the reflection of the situation.)
Level 4: You feel discouraged because you can’t seem to reach your
father. You want him to let up on you.
(Level 4 has understanding and some direction. A Level 4 response identifies not only
the client’s feelings but also the client’s deficit that is implied. In a Level 4 response, the
client’s deficit is personalized, meaning the client owns or accepts responsibility for the
deficit, as in “You can’t reach” in this response.)
Level 5: You feel discouraged because you can’t seem to reach your father.
You want him to let up on you. One step could be to express your
feelings about this to your father.
(A Level 5 response contains all of a Level 4 response plus at least one action step the
person can take to master the deficit and attain the goal. In this example, the action step is
“One step could be to express your feelings about his to your father.” Note here that
“could” is an open suggestion. It invites a response from the client. Or, in the
alternative, it invites the client to either agree or disagree depending on how the client
interprets it. However, it is highly likely that the client will engage in more discussion
and so the counseling can proceed.)
1. Corimer, William H. & Corimer, L. Sherilyn. (1979). Interviewing Strategies for
Helpers. CA: Brooks/Cole. p. 23.