According to the article, What to Say When You are Listening by Anxiety Institute, people often wonder how they can get their children to open up. The answer is in how your words are delivered and what comes next.
This article provides three case studies that illustrate how listening can create connections and overcome the anxiety that may be present. In each of the case studies, the parents take the approach of stating that they aren’t there to fix anything but rather to listen and understand. When children feel heard without being fixed, they are more likely to open up.
Read the three case studies and the take away within What to Say When You are Listening here.