Peer Listening Exercise

Purpose

Peer listening is a low-structure, high-support debriefing tool. It provides mediators with a safe space to reflect on professional experiences while practising non-judgmental, active listening. Unlike supervision, it does not involve evaluation, correction, or formal feedback — the focus is simply on being heard and supported.

You can practice this exercise during course or with peers. 

Step 1: Pair Up

• Work with a colleague or peer mediator.

• Agree on who will be the Speaker and who will be the Listener first.

Step 2: Speaker Role

• Choose a recent mediation, role play, or professional event that you would like to reflect on.

• Speak for up to 5 minutes, focusing on:

  • What happened (brief description).

  • How it affected you (emotionally, ethically, professionally).

  • What you are still thinking about.

• The goal is not to analyse or “solve” but to share your experience openly.

Step 3: Listener Role

• Your job is to listen deeply.

• Do not interrupt, correct, or offer advice.

• Use silence, nodding, and brief prompts such as:

  • “Tell me more about that.”

  • “What felt most important to you in that moment?”

  • “What do you take away from this experience?”

• Validate without judgement e.g., “That sounds challenging”, “I can see why that mattered”.

Step 4: Swap Roles

• After 5 minutes, switch roles.

• Each person should have equal time as Speaker and Listener.

Step 5: Joint Reflection

Once both have shared, spend 5 minutes together discussing:

• What was it like to be deeply listened to?

• Did the process reduce stress or shift perspective?

• As a listener, what did you notice about holding space without giving advice?

Example Prompts for Speakers

• “One part of the session that really stayed with me was …”

• “I noticed myself reacting strongly when …”

• “If I could do one thing differently next time, it would be …”

Example Prompts for Listeners

• “What felt most significant about that experience for you?”

• “How has this event influenced your sense of yourself as a mediator?”

Guidelines for Success

Respect confidentiality — never share what is said outside the exercise.
Allow silence — sometimes reflection needs space.
Resist problem-solving — this is a debrief, not supervision or counselling.
End with appreciation — thank your peer for sharing and listening.