The title is slightly misleading. You don’t force ears open; you create conditions where the other person chooses to listen. Pritchard admits this, but the book could use more on what to do when someone refuses to engage despite your best efforts. The advice for high-conflict or narcissistic interactions is thin (“set a boundary and disengage”), which feels like a cop-out.
We’ve all been there: you’re trying to have an important conversation—feedback for an employee, a heart-to-heart with a partner, or a safety warning to a teenager—and their ears might as well be sealed with concrete. How to Open Closed Ears (author: Dr. Lena Pritchard) promises a compassionate, research-backed roadmap for exactly that scenario. Does it deliver? Mostly, yes. how to open closed ears
The chapter on “Strategic Silence” is a gem: waiting 8–10 seconds after a closed response actually prompts the other person to fill the gap, often with their real objection. I’ve used this in team meetings—awkward at first, but startlingly effective. The title is slightly misleading
Crucial Conversations , Nonviolent Communication , or The Art of Active Listening . The advice for high-conflict or narcissistic interactions is
Also, the exercises are introspective (journaling your own defensive triggers), which is valuable—but I wanted more paired role-play scripts for practicing with a friend.