Customer Reviews

Listen with the Heart: Relationships and Hearing Loss

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I bought and read this book because of a recommendation given to my husband by his communications course instructor. First of all, just having it with me was a communication helper. People would ask about the title and I would explain what it was about and why I was reading it. Secondly, I liked the book because it detailed numerous real life examples of relationships of those who are hearing impaired and includes the writer's/ psychologist's interactions, observations and recommendations for those individuals. But it was also very emotional reading and it taught me some things about myself and my communication issues. My only negative comment: I would have liked to see a few less examples and some sort of summation -- "a putting together of it all" at the end, but the author didn't do so. But I liked the book and think it will prove even more helpful as I read through certain portions again with a view to applying what I learn.

This is layperson version of Harvey's book: Pschotherapy with Deaf and H-O-H People. The title must be special to those with hearing loss, since I heard a blind golfer (Kevin Hall) speak that he too listens with the heart.

He is a fascinating human who brings his enthusiasm for life and better relationships to his counseling with those with hearing difficulties. He does this in relating ten counseling cases concerning such as: student-pupil-parent-school faculty tensions; old age and hearing; the isolation and despair of hearing loss; hearing + deaf marriage; parents and birth of deaf child; siblings dealing with deaf sister;

There is much to be gleaned from this read, all written with great sensitivity and joy and humorous style. Harvey demonstrates with his own practice experience how hearing loss affects not just the individual, but those around as well. One will certainly garner a heightened awareness and sensitivity to these individuals, who normally feel low esteem, isolation and depression due to not catching all the hearing world has to offer.

Remarkably, this outstanding counselor has helped many with his kind, but to the point approach.

Hoping to receive some spiritual tidbits, there were really not much of these. Some from Dali Lama, etc. but not much for the Christian. The last case with the older lady who was in close contact with God was exhibited as experiential.

That said, this is valuable resource for those in counseling, or around deaf and hard-of-hearing to raise our sensitivity bars to new levels that we might be more kind resource for these individuals.

I have several friends who have lost their hearing or only have partial hearing. This book is written from a laypersons point of view, and is not technical at all. It gives true accounts of families in therapy situations with hearing loss either as the reason for the therapy or how hearing loss has affected the family in dealing with life's issues. Listen with the Heart uses humor and down-to-earth writing. I enjoyed reading it, giving me food for thought.