ABSTRACT
Discussing a child's misbehavior or why a marriage lacks intimacy assures clients that their therapist hears and understands their dilemma. But talking only about problems and overlooking "home-grown" solutions can block discovery of naturally occurring change. Without inviting clients to notice and expand functional aspects of their lives, therapists may inadvertently make problems more intractable. Listening for, hearing, punctuating, and amplifying change helps therapists not interfere with the natural tendency to survive and thrive. Listening with a change ear is like using a special hearing aid that magnifies any verbal or non-verbal communication about change. Therapists get out of clients' way by not allowing theories of dysfunction to select what is heard and deemed important in client narratives. This is perhaps the single most potent first step therapists can take to help clients move toward recovery and is an essential practical skill for any strengths-based therapy clinician.
