Want to Help Someone in Grief? Maybe Stop Talking and Start Listening

On “Behind the Quote”, hosts Patricia Wu, Jessica Reyes, and guest grief counselor and psychotherapist Gabrielle Ferguson discuss the insightful words of Esther Perel: “The listener creates the speaker.”

Validating Emotions

Grief can be messy and uncomfortable. It’s important to acknowledge the person’s feelings as valid and normal, even if we don’t fully understand.

Resisting the Urge to Fix

Sometimes we want to make pain go away. Gabrielle reminds us that being present and simply listening offers more support than trying to solve someone’s grief.

The Value of Listening

Our society often emphasizes talking; this quote highlights the importance of listening, especially when helping someone process difficult emotions.