Deep Listening and Radical Vulnerability, Laugh and Play
May 24 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Deep Listening and Radical Vulnerability, Laugh and Play
The connection between listening and mental wellbeing is profound. New York psychiatrist and co-founder of Narativ, Dr Paul Browde, stresses that the act of deep listening counters the isolation many of us experience. “In a world filled with noise – both literal and metaphorical – many people are starved for the experience of being truly listened to,” he says. This lack of deep listening often leads to loneliness, depression and alienation.
Listening requires vulnerability – not just from the speaker but also from the listener. Brené Brown, social researcher, author and expert on vulnerability, argues that empathy is impossible without deep listening. Empathy, she explains, involves “feeling with people,” which requires setting aside our own thoughts to understand someone else’s emotions.
Brown emphasizes that empathy is not about offering advice or fixing problems but rather about acknowledging another person’s feelings. In her TED Talk, The Power of Vulnerability, she says, “Rarely can a response make something better. What makes something better is connection.” This connection is nurtured through listening with empathy, allowing both the speaker and listener to feel more connected and understood.
Presented by Chad Martin
Registration deadline: 5/20/2025.
A minimum number of 12 participants is required, and a maximum number of participants is 30.
*If you are not a member of the Wonder Community yet, please complete the New Member Registration Form.
