CONTACT Care Line has training sessions on listening starting Friday, April 4.
The Art of Active Listening Training classes are on Friday afternoons from 2-4 p.m. April 4-May 23. There is no class on Good Friday, April 18. Classes will be held in the Parlor at Kern Memorial United Methodist Church at 451 E. Tennessee Ave. in Oak Ridge. The cost is $50 for the general public and $25 for students.
The Art of Active Listening teaches effective listening skills that everyone can use in their daily lives with family, friends, and co-workers. It enables participants to develop empathetic, non-judgmental listening techniques. This training offers important ways to assist with many of the problems people face and how we can respond in a healthy, heartfelt, and helpful way, a press release said. Practice sessions in a supportive, nonjudgmental atmosphere help participants begin to use their new skills and gain confidence as they discover the value of constructive, caring listening, and responding.
The Art of Active Listening training consists of seven weekly in-person sessions, suicide prevention, and online training lectures.
“We hope this enables many of you to get involved in the wonderful art of active listening,” the press release said.
This training is the first step to becoming a CONTACT Crisis Line specialist, although there is no pressure to volunteer if you choose not to. If you do, there will be additional training apprenticeships at the end of the active listening training, to be determined, according to your time preferences.
The first step is to register online at http://www.contactcarelinetn.org/training/training-registration/. You can pay by credit card online, mail in a check to P.O. Box 4641 Oak Ridge, TN 37831, or bring cash or a check to the first meeting. (Please make check payable to CONTACT Care Line)
Class members are required to attend the first session on April 4. All volunteering on the crisis line takes place at the CONTACT office in Oak Ridge. One of CONTACT’s future goals is to add a satellite office in Knoxville when it is financially feasible.
If you have questions or need clarification, call the CONTACT Care Line business office at (865) 312-7450.
Leave a Reply