Encouraging the participants to tell about their own experiences

  • Ask people to tell about events and situations that are important to them. “Tell us about some events or situations that have affected the way you think about the topic of our dialogue.”
  • Ask specifying questions about the different dimensions of the experience: observations, thoughts, memories, feelings and illusions. “Tell us more about what you observed/thought/felt/imagined in that situation?”
  • Ask specifying questions about the reasons and consequences. “What made that happen? What happened as a result?”
  • Ask the other participants to explain what kind of experiences come to mind when they listen to the others. “What about the others? What kind of experiences did you remember when you were listening to what was just said?”
  • Set an example yourself. Tell the participants about an experience that has affected your views on the topic under discussion.

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