Carefully listening to someone you really disagree with can be very difficult, but accurate listening can help you develop better interpersonal skills, says Sturgeon Bay Psychologist Dr. Dennis White. He says a more polarized than ever society is making it more difficult to civilly disagree. You may seem trapped between the two choices of either arguing back with the risk of becoming angry or keeping your mouth shut to “keep the peace”. Neither are very satisfying, says Dr. White. Listening allows you to engage in dialogue when you don’t agree with the other person. With practice, one can learn to listen better and respond in more appropriate ways. You can listen to Dr. White’s entire Mental Health Minute below.
