“Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, spirit over ego, others over self.” – Dean Jackson

Imagine if you had someone who truly listened to you.

Listened to you when you were at a turning point in life…
Listened when the world felt too heavy…
The times you felt lost, defeated, hopeless…
The times you were smothered by darkness or stifled by fear…
The times you’ve ever felt alone.

Being listened to is so easily overlooked. It’s a seemingly small gesture, yet it holds the power to create profound change. It can be a catalyst for healing, a facilitator of self-awareness, and the therapy you never knew you needed.

I know firsthand the impact of being truly heard.

I have been fortunate enough to experience the safety of a group that gave me time and space to share my lived experiences—to externalize my pain, to verbalize my struggles.

More than 30 years after an event that shaped my childhood, I spoke about it for the first time in a room filled with others who had gathered to do the same—to unburden their shame, to relinquish the psychological weight of trauma, or simply to offer a space for others to do so.

For me, I spoke about my uncle’s suicide.

A pain I hadn’t even realized I had been carrying. An experience I had never been able to articulate. Even then, the words felt stuck, so I began with silent words—written words. I put my memories, thoughts, and emotions into a poem because it was the only way I could share in a way that made sense.

And yes, it was hard. It was daunting. There were tears.

But it was so freeing.

The Healing Power of Being Heard

The effects have been monumental.

I felt unquestionably vulnerable—but NOT ALONE.
I felt sadness—but also SOLACE.
I felt exposed—but also HELD.

Immediately afterward, there was a cathartic release, a lifting of the heaviness that had pinned me down for decades. But more importantly, the effects weren’t just instant—they were long-lasting.

And the people in that room didn’t need to ‘fix’ me, offer a solution, or even give me sympathy. All I needed was space, time, and connection—the freedom to speak my truth without judgment, to find the words that had long been exiled to silence, to be supported without expectation.

I often hear people say, “I wish I could help…” after someone shares something difficult. What they don’t realize is that simply being there, listening without judgment, offering a safe space, may be helping in ways they can’t even imagine.

Never underestimate the power of listening. It may be the very thing that changes someone’s life.

Breaking the Silence Around Cancer

This is why I’m currently in discussions with my local hospital to create a listening group for cancer patients.

Having faced cancer myself, I know the dizzying flurry of emotions that come with it. The loneliness of sitting with a diagnosis. The endless what ifs. The guilt. The confusion. The fear.

I know how hard it is to find the words to express it.

I know how difficult it is to speak to loved ones—you don’t want to add to their pain, to make them worry more. You want to protect them. You want to scream at the universe—but instead, you stay silent.

I want to create a space where people can talk, cry, or simply sit in safe silence, free from pressure or expectation. A space surrounded by people who truly understand what they’re going through. A space where they are invited to come exactly as they are—

“Your bare soul has a place here.”

I want to break the generational silence around cancer.
I want to give people a voice to utter the words that have been hidden under fear.
I want to offer the gift of listening—because I know how transformative it can be.

In a world that is so loud, so chaotic, and demands so much of us, let’s take a moment to pause and just listen.

Take care & much love,
Julie x