Transformative Listening

Lisa has been a JUST Listening volunteer since 2013. She began by listening to guests at a soup kitchen and free medical clinic in Kensington. Today, she visits NewCourtland once a week to listen with residents and staff.



Lisa appreciates how a listening relationship can have a big impact on her and the lives of those she supports. Years ago, Lisa started listening with a 92 year old New Courtland resident, and called her once a week for more than six years. She shared what was hard: missing her friends, and wishing her children would call more.

"She knew I was going to show up," Lisa says. "Lisa's going to call me, because it's Monday afternoon."

The woman passed away this summer at 98 and a half. Her granddaughter invited Lisa to be part of the goodbye ceremony because of just how much Lisa meant to her grandmother; she became a part of the family. "It was such a gift," Lisa says. "It was an honor."

Lisa has learned that listening often means saying very little. Once, a staff member sat down and talked for 45 minutes. Lisa did not say a word. At the end, the person said, "Thank you so much. I think I know now what I'm going to do."

"You did the work," Lisa told them. "You just needed someone to bounce it off of."

It's a Freedom

Every Wednesday at 1:00 Lisa meets with Belinda Lyles.

Belinda Lyles has worked in activities at NewCourtland for 20 years. She plans the fun events, like bingo, Bible study, and Friday happy hour. She calls her work her ministry.

"We're always putting out the fires," Belinda says. "But we never think, I need somebody to listen to me."

A few years ago, Belinda learned she had breast cancer. "Lisa was my rock," she says. "She gave me peace. It's going to be okay. And even if it's not okay, it's going to be okay."

What does it feel like to just be heard? "It's a freedom," Belinda says. "I just feel free that somebody's listening to me for a change. I don't have to solve all the problems."

She says it makes her better at her job too. "It gives me more patience."

She Simply Listens

NewCourtland staff member, Kisha, started meeting with Lisa around 2020. At first, she was not sure about it. She thought it would be like seeing a therapist. It wasn't.

"There's no judgment. She simply listens. I don't know where I would be without her," Kisha says.

Since she first started meeting with Lisa, Kisha unexpectedly lost her son. Listening sessions have been an important part of her ability to cope with that loss. "This program had a great deal to do with my healing".

What Lisa Wants You to Know

After all these years, one thing still surprises Lisa. "How few people are really listened to," she says. People tell her, "Nobody's ever given me the time to say this."



"There's nothing wrong with them," Lisa says. "They don't need to be fixed. But they need to be listened to."

Listening helps the people who are heard feel less alone. But it helps the listener too. 

When you volunteer, you meet new people, build real friendships, and feel part of something bigger. Our volunteers often say they get back just as much as they give. 

JUST Listening needs volunteers at NewCourtland, SCI Phoenix, Kensington, and Phoenixville. Our volunteers do not come to fix, teach, or give advice. They come with no agenda. They simply show up and listen.

You will not do it alone. We will train you and walk with you every step of the way, starting with our four-part Listening Series this October, a complementary training for new volunteers. 

If you would like to listen this way, click here. We would love to chat!

Wednesdays, October 7 - October 28, 2026 |

10:00 am - 11:30am |Online

Transformational

Listening Series

4 Sessions Covering the Basics of JUST Listening

This four-session series goes deeper. Over four weeks, you will learn what gets in the way of real listening, how to work through it, and how to build relationships grounded in trust, empathy, and understanding. Each session is grounded in research on human behavior and neurobiology, and includes micro-practices you can use in everyday life.

October 7: Empathy, Othering, and Perception)

October 14: What Gets in the Way of Our Listening?: Listening Filters

October 21: Listening in the Context of Suffering

October 28: Responding Wholeheartedly to Others

Ideal for community leaders, managers, caregivers, educators, faith communities, and anyone committed to better communication.

*This series is a required pre-requisite for all those wishing to participate in JUST Listening volunteer programs serving incarcerated individuals, seniors, and community members navigating homelessness and addiction. 

Email brenna@justlistening.net regarding free class options to meet the volunteer requirment.