A few months ago, a friend of mine got int touch saying ‘You have to listen to this podcast!’ with a link to an episode of the ‘Feel Better, Live More’ episode of Dr. Rangan Chaterjee and Johan Hari on ‘Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression’ link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/55Rq6GthFzVByDXsTR1BUb?si=yWwRKgmJT_OHf5KW4uxJdQ. I must admit that my first reaction was, oh another thing talking about depression, I’m not sure I want to listen to it. Yet, a voice within me and an impulse led me to listen. The conversation went for so long that there are two episodes, and I have now listened to both episodes three times. There is so much interesting content in there, and for me personally, there were a few parts of the conversation that really touched me to the point of tears.

Listening to how there is a lack in listening, connecting in real life and a sense of community. I was moved to take action. An idea started to take shape within me. I wanted to take part in helping others to feel heard. I felt I had limited resources to making this happen in person, and so I put my thinking hat on and started coming up with ideas of how to go about doing this. The idea has had a few shifts and changes but I have for now settled with a name and an idea of how I can make this happen online. As my work is mainly focused on guiding women, I thought it was only natural that I made this offer for women.

I now present to you this new project, offering 15 minutes of FREE listening for women from women:

SheSpeaks SheListens

At some point in your life, as a woman, you have experienced not being heard. It’s like the words you speak are empty and no one else is acknowledging them, even though you say them out loud and there is someone else present. Often we learn very early on that the words we say are not valid or worth being heard, we repress ourselves and our authentic expression.

We are also aware that in this busy modern world, a lot of us are feeling isolated. Some because we live on our own and others feel isolated too even when they are sometimes surrounded by a lot of people.

There is a void in listening nowadays, everyone seems to be too busy speaking, on their phones or just not present for others.

We feel the world needs to listen to women and that often women do not feel heard.

The SheSpeaks SheListens project wants to change this and has created a space for you to be fully heard, for you to practice expressing yourself in a safe, free and open space.

We want to invite you to come and share your deepest thoughts, your every day life complaints, those words that you have been waiting for so long to say if only someone would listen. This is an invitation for you to express, share, vent, speak up and show up. Nothing is off limits, this is your time to be truly and actively listened to by another woman.

I want this! What do I need to do?

Book yourself a 15 minute slot and that time will be completely yours. Here is the link: https://calendly.com/shespeaksshelistens/15min There will be someone else on the line that is there only to listen to you and nothing else. All you need to do, is be willing to share honestly with a stranger.

The Listener is not there to try and fix you, they are not there to solve your problems or give their opinion and advice. They are only there to listen.

You can choose a topic or go free flowing for the 15 minutes.

The Listener will be another woman. They will not say anything throughout except a greeting, they will let you know when there are 5 and 2 minutes left and at the end they will say: thank you for sharing or give you a compassionate reflection. You choose what you want to receive at the end and you can choose this at the time of booking.

You can book a call as many times as you feel is needed. You can use your real name or a different name, it is not important, what is important is that everything that you say will be completely confidential.

Calls will take place on Skype and they are voice calls only, not video calls.

This service is FREE and is confidential.

The group of listeners do so from their own free time and are not paid. The SheSpeaks SheListens project is just starting but has great ambitions and if you feel like you would like to contribute with a donation to support it’s growth and reaching a much bigger number of women, please donate here: https://www.paypal.me/PelagiaPais

If you would like to volunteer your time to Listen to another woman, please get in touch.

Like us on: www.facebook.com/shespeaksshelistens