Helping People Feel Seen

When I ask people questions, it is never just to gather information. It is to understand how they see their own lives — how they make sense of their story, their struggles, their hopes, and the parts of themselves they may have forgotten.

So I ask questions that invite reflection. Questions that open doors.

"What talent do you have that you are not using?""What are you most proud of?""Where do you come from, and how has it shaped you?""What would you do if you were not afraid?""What commitments are you still carrying that you no longer truly believe in?"

These are not ordinary questions. They are storytelling questions. They help people reconnect with who they are beneath the surface.

Sometimes the stories I hear are deeply moving. Sometimes they are painful beyond words. But what I have learned is this: when people are on the ground emotionally, they are not looking for someone to stand above them and give advice. They want someone willing to come down and sit with them there.

And to me, that is the true meaning of empathy.