We’re delighted to share that The Good Listening Project presented our workshop, "Listen Like a Poet: The Transformative Power of Listening in Healthcare," at the 2026 National Association for Poetry Therapy (NAPT) Conference in Chicago. Facilitated by Listener Poets Nancy S. Scherlong, Leigh Finnegan-Hosey, and Ravenna Raven, the workshop invited conference attendees to experience and practice deep listening, cultivate empathy and creativity, and support resilience and wellbeing using poetry and conversation as inspiration.
This workshop offers accessible practices for deep listening and poetry, evidence-based tools for reducing burnout and promoting inclusion. Listener Poet facilitators provided insights into good listening by sharing poems written for people across the healthcare community, and stories of the real-life conversations that inspired them. These conversations strengthen the social fabric within healthcare systems, amplify unheard voices, and foster compassion among healthcare professionals. As a result, these healing spaces contribute to a connected culture where people care about and support each other, enhancing patient care and the overall healthcare experience.
The workshop also included paired listening exercises in which participants practiced compassionate listening and wrote poems in response to one another’s stories. The session offers an introduction to the listening practices at the center of TGLP’s work and their potential to support wellbeing, compassion, and human connection within healthcare systems. When asked what they appreciated most about the workshop, one participant shared: “The idea of an efficient, accessible, and economical way to offer moments of healing.”
The conference featured many inspiring workshop offerings and meaningful opportunities for connection across the poetry therapy community. We were honored to hear keynote presentations from Mark Turcotte and Perie Longo, and we left feeling energized by the heartfelt and inspiring conversations, the poetry around every corner, and the shared passion for healing through language and presence.
Looking ahead, we’ll be excited to include a live Listener Poet session demonstration in future versions of the workshop, offering participants an opportunity to witness the practice in real time.