Overcoming Barriers to Good Listening
Common Obstacles to Effective Listening: Effective listening requires practice and self-awareness. If you are naturally distrustful, combative, or excessively eager to please, it can be challenging to listen well. Recognize and address common obstacles:
- Being Judgmental: Avoid making negative judgments that block open listening.
- Rehearsing: Stop planning your response while the other person is talking.
- Filtering: Listen to the entire message, not just selective parts.
- Advising: Sometimes, people simply need to be heard, not advised.
- Mind Reading: Don’t assume you know what your partner is really trying to say.
- Pleasing: Don’t just agree to maintain peace.
- Deflecting: Stay focused on the topic, even if it’s uncomfortable.
Dr.Baya Mebarek, Psy.D.,LMFT
Baya Mebarek, Psy.D., LMFT
Baya Mebarek, Psy.D., LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with more than 20 years of experience helping couples strengthen their relationships. Based in San Diego and providing online therapy throughout California, she specializes in couples therapy, marriage counseling, premarital counseling, affair recovery, communication and conflict, emotional disconnection, and rebuilding trust. Her integrative approach draws on research-based relationship strategies, attachment-informed therapy, and a deep understanding of the emotional patterns that can leave couples feeling hurt, misunderstood, or disconnected.
