This book is an invitation. It is an invitation to reconnect to the longing that we all have to be heard, really heard. It is not a manual or a list of listening techniques, but an exploration of our innate ability to listen with such depth that the distinction between listener and speaker disappears and we expand beyond what our isolated selves thought possible—so that other becomes us. Dr. Randall Alifano brings his decades of experience to this beautiful exploration of what it truly means to listen. Through heartfelt stories, he shares what he’s learned over the years, not only as a counselor, but also as a friend, a father, a son, and a partner. He skillfully examines many of the impediments we encounter while listening and offers remedies to them, and he helps us navigate our own inner worlds while also learning the tools of outer communication.

In this book, Dr. Alifano explores how to:

Listen from a place of curiosity and love.

Examine your filters so they don’t get in the way of listening, empty yourself of intentions when listening and listen to what is underneath what’s being spoken.

It is an invitation to tap back into your innocence and reignite your curiosity, deeply empathize with another while listening and expand your sense of self through a different level of connection with another. This book is for anyone looking to increase their capacity to listen, communicate more effectively, and connect more deeply with other and self. It is an intimate journey to find what is at the core of both ourselves and others, unfiltered, vulnerable, and raw.

We are all aching to be heard. We are all aching to connect. Our first step is to learn to Listen in the Raw.