Compassionate listening is the ability to be present in supportive heartfelt ways for others in pain or in moments of suffering, critical times when human presence makes a world of difference. By harnessing the power of our heart, we can enhance communication and transform relationships into compassionate interaction. This session introduces a model of holistic listening as a way of being present for others and helping alleviate suffering, while staying mindful of your own internal state. This practice offers listening as a healing process, and develops our capacity to feel compassion for the ‘other’, to see ourselves in the ‘other’ and the ‘other’ in ourselves. 

This workshop series will be presented by Silvia Austerlic, an intercultural educator, facilitator and consultant @ Senti-Pensante Connections. She is a working member of the Radical Resilience Initiative and a lecturer for Oakes College where she developed and teaches a class titled “Building an inner sanctuary” about the cultivation of inner and external resources in order to show up for social justice and community care. She also facilitates campus-wide learning events surrounding cultural humility, social justice, and fostering care in the community.

Sign up for this workshop here.

For questions, please reach out to Jessica Bulleri, Campus Wellness Program Manager, at jbulleri@ucsc.edu.