Ten Guidelines for Conversations
1. Take turns sharing stories.
2. Give a Reader’s Digest version of stories. Your conversation partner can always ask for further details.
3. Choose to answer questions only at the comfort level you have about the topic or question.
4. This is a friendship level of conversation, NOT COUNSELING. Enjoy a relaxed atmosphere for your conversations with snacks, tea, or coffee.
5. Share your experience but do not tell your conversation partner what to do.
6. Observe boundaries. Do not push your conversation partner to talk about questions he or she would prefer not to discuss.
7. Take your time. You may not get to all the questions in one conversation. Depending on your situation, you may enjoy meeting more than once per conversation topic.
8. Choose questions about which you want to talk. Not all questions have to be discussed.
9. Be a friend in this relationship, yet do not intrude or become a “constant companion.”
10. Respect your partner’s privacy. Do NOT share your partner’s stories with anyone. ONLY share your own stories with other people.