The foundation of all Heal Chicago programs is ‘Active Listening’. Active listening is a practice that gives us the experience of uninterrupted focus from someone who is holding space for our story.

The listener does not try to fix, advise, manage or in any way affect outcome. Active listening allows individuals to feel heard to access flexible thinking, and reduce stress enabling connection.

#1: ACTIVE LISTENING

The second component of the program helps participants understand the lens of personal identity and how it provides us with our unique way of looking at and interacting in the world.

When people begin to see themselves in these contexts, they can begin to depersonalization conflicts that so often cause disconnection and extreme stress.

Widening the lens of identity empowers us to decide instead of react to stressful situations. Understanding the myriad ways we form identity helps participants to increase self-determination.

The third component examines burnout, stress, fear and grief.

We talk about ways to identify the signs of these often debilitating emotions in ourselves. We come to understand our own role in perpetuating unhealthy cycles of stress and burnout.

We learn to think in new ways about our growth through our struggles to implement ways to care for ourselves and connect with others using the resources we have.