Some of you may already be familiar with OARS. For others, this will be new.
OARS is a simple and widely used acronym that describes the four core components of active listening.
Active listening is the foundation of supportive communication. If we’re not fully paying attention to our clients, their words, tone, energy, and needs, we can’t support them effectively.
OARS comes from Motivational Interviewing, a clinical framework. Here, we are using OARS only as communication tools, not as therapy techniques.
O — Ask Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions cannot be answered with “yes” or “no.” They invite clients to share more detail and create space for their thoughts and emotions. Examples include:
- Closed question: “Do you feel sad?”
- Open question: “How have you been feeling lately?”
Open-ended questions communicate, “I want to understand you, not judge you.” They also help you gather more accurate information without pushing the person into therapeutic territory.
A — Affirm Strengths and Efforts
Affirmations highlight a client’s strengths, efforts, and resilience, especially the strengths they may not see in themselves during crisis. For example:
“It sounds like you’ve been through a lot. It took real determination to get this far.”
Affirmations help counter shame and reinforce the truth that the client has survived overwhelming situations before and can again.
Affirmations build confidence without giving false reassurance.
R — Reflect What You Hear
Reflection means briefly restating what your client said in your own words. This shows you’re listening and gives the client a chance to correct misunderstandings. For example:
“It sounds like you’d like to avoid customer service jobs. Is that correct?”
Reflections should be short and surface-level, not interpretation, analysis, or clinical insight. They simply communicate, “I’m listening, and I want to get this right.”
S — Summarize the Conversation
Summaries help clients stay grounded and organized, especially when they’re overwhelmed. A good summary:
- Pulls together key points
- Confirms next steps
- Helps the client feel heard
- Provides clarity before ending the conversation
For example:
“Before we wrap up, let me make sure I have everything. You’re looking for full-time work around $40,000 a year, preferably remote or hybrid, and you want to avoid retail or customer service. Is that right?”
Summaries show you’ve been listening the whole time and provide one last reinforcement that you care about helping them. Summaries also create structure, and as we’ve seen, structure helps reduce anxiety.
Reflection Exercise: Robert
Take a moment to pause and consider the scenario below. You can reflect quietly, write a few notes, or skip this section if now isn’t the right time.
Robert is a man in his late 50s who experienced a stroke several years ago that resulted in aphasia. Each day, Robert spends about 45 minutes reading magazines out loud to “warm up his voice.” Even with this effort, he is usually able to communicate using only one- or two-syllable words.
Robert previously worked as a restaurant manager and wants to remain in the restaurant industry. He shares that he suspects restaurant owners struggle to picture how he would communicate effectively with staff, and he feels discouraged by these barriers.
As you reflect on this scenario:
- What might an open-ended question sound like when someone communicates with limited speech?
- How could an affirmation acknowledge Robert’s effort, experience, or strengths without drawing attention to his limitations?
- What kinds of reflections might help Robert feel understood, even when his verbal responses are brief?
- How might a short summary help check understanding and reinforce connection?
This reflection is meant to explore how OARS can be adapted thoughtfully to different communication styles. The goal isn’t fluency or perfection, but presence, respect, and understanding.
Remember to notice what you’re thinking and learning. Take a break if you need one.
When you’re ready, continue to The “Yes, And…” Technique
Disability and Mental Distress 