Just Listening is a philosophical and practical approach for supporting people in distress and for building relationships in community.

It strengthens connection, communication, a mutual sense of compassion and reduces pressure on staff, and improves outcomes for both individuals and services.

It was developed by Matt Ball in Australia and draws inspiration from the approach of Leon Redler and Steven Gans in their book, Just Listening: Ethics and Therapy.

The Just Listening approach is grounded in psychotherapy but designed for use by anyone, not just clinicians.

It offers a clear, accessible approach for listening to people in a just way that:

Develops connection between the listener and person sharing their story
Reduces distress and empowers the person in need of support
Supports staff wellbeing through shared understanding and collaboration
Improves service quality

Three key words underpin the approach: Connection. Compassion. Community.

Just Listening is defined by the following principles and skills:

1. Listen with the intention to offer justice to a person’s story
2. Slow down: be aware of your thoughts and intentions
3. Resist the urge to fix – continue listening
4. Focus responses on the story of the person you are listening to

Why we’re using it

We’re using Just Listening within the Octopus programme to help teams work more effectively and to improve the experience of patients and residents.

It supports both those receiving and those delivering care.

For the person being listened to: it creates space to be heard without the listener offering judgment or interruption, which can reduce emotional distress and increase connection and engagement in relationship.
For the person listening: it offers an ethical way to listen to others. This approach helps reduce the emotional burden and the feeling of needing to fix others. As a result, it supports wellbeing and job satisfaction. It also encourages a sense of mutual understanding in both work and personal life.

Learn more in the video below.

What it aims to achieve

Our core aims for Just Listening in London are to:

Help people in the system feel more connected, so they can work more effectively
Support staff to feel more satisfied and supported in their roles
Improve patient and resident experience, leading to better care outcomes

How this approach works in Primary Care

Case study: supporting a distressed older adult through Just Listening at their GP Practice

A GP had an appointment with a 90-year-old woman living alone with a history of psychosis. During their first meeting, she shared distressing beliefs involving surveillance and harm, which she attributed to external forces. Rather than offering medication, a common clinical response, the clinician chose to simply listen, respecting her wish to avoid treatment.

The woman returned for follow-up visits, each time engaging in brief sessions where she was heard without judgement or intervention. Over time, she expressed gratitude and continued to share her thoughts, many of which remained delusional. With her consent, a neighbour confirmed the positive impact of these interactions.

Thanks to Just Listening training, the GP felt confident in offering compassionate presence without escalating to services the patient did not want. A trained coach was later invited to provide additional support, allowing the clinician to maintain oversight while reducing the frequency of visits.

This approach prevented unnecessary referrals and honoured the patient’s autonomy: demonstrating how Just Listening can be a powerful tool in primary care.

Results so far

We’ve already trained over 200 staff across Westminster, including:

Community Health and Wellbeing Workers (CHWWs)
Health and Wellbeing Coaches
Social Prescribers
Care Navigators
Family Navigators
GPs, Community Matrons, Psychologists, Managers, and others

These staff are now using Just Listening in their daily work across a range of settings.

Our goal is to train over 2,000 staff across the Octopus network over the next two years through a train-the-trainer programme. This will allow each organisation to embed Just Listening sustainably within their teams.