ABSTRACT
Developing ones' skills in building the therapeutic relationships brings reciprocal warmth and successes in a great many relationships. Therapeutic listening is a professional counselor's most powerful tool, and a professional counselor's most often used tool as well. One can build their therapeutic relationship skills into the persons that they are, the more effective they can be in each client interaction. As one strive to connect with their clients on an emotional level, one find their empathy skills continually growing, and in this way, they are also able to connect with themselves, each other, and a great many others. It is often noticed that the excellent listening of many of the volunteers who staff peoples' local crisis hotlines or serve as big brother/big sister mentors. Typically, the training for these programs focuses on heavily on the empathic listening, and almost leaves out any training in guidance.
