Why trust starts with listening: Michelle’s approach to disability support

For families looking for disability support, finding the right person can make all the difference. 

Skills and experience matter. But so does having someone who takes the time to listen, understand the person they are supporting and build trust at their pace. 

For Nextt Disability Support Worker Michelle, that approach became especially important when she began supporting a young woman with complex mental health support needs in Brisbane. 

The participant had worked with many support workers before Michelle and found it difficult to trust the people supporting her. 

Below, Michelle shares how listening, consistency and taking the time to build trust helped her support the participant to grow in confidence and independence, and what the experience taught her about the difference a skilled Disability Support Worker can make. 

Building trust by listening

When Michelle thinks back to the beginning of her time with the participant she is supporting, she remembers one clear barrier: a lack of trust. 

Rather than trying to rush the relationship, Michelle focused on listening and making sure the participant knew her thoughts and feelings mattered. 

“I think the key with people who have mental health issues is listening to them, acknowledging their feelings and validating. That’s it,” Michelle explains. “It’s important they feel that what they’re saying is valid. That was huge with my client.” 

Michelle also knew that building trust required consistency. For her, this meant showing up in the same way each time. She kept her tone calm, gave the participant time to speak and listened without turning the conversation into an argument. This was particularly important because the participant had often felt that support workers in the past did not listen to or understand her.  

“I never changed. I spoke in the same tone. I always listened and let her speak,” Michelle says. 

Over time, small changes began to show that trust was growing. The participant started sharing more about herself without being asked. She began asking Michelle about her weekend. Even small changes in body language helped Michelle see that their relationship was changing. 

There was no single big moment. Trust grew through consistency, patience and listening. 

Supporting independence without taking over

Building trust was only one part of Michelle’s role. She also wanted to help the participant feel more confident handling everyday situations herself. 

One way she did this was by modelling what to do rather than immediately stepping in and taking over, especially when encountering difficult situations in everyday activities. 

An example Michelle references is when the two spent time together in the community and volunteered at the RSPCA. During this time, they encountered a few unexpected and difficult situations, including a bank card being swallowed by a machine and also being overcharged while shopping.  

While her participant was unsure about what to do or say next, Michelle says rather than automatically taking over to resolve the situation she would talk with her participant about whether she wanted help and when needed, show her how she might approach the situation. 

“I would model behaviour. Especially when we were working at the RSPCA she would say ‘ I don’t know what to do or what to say.’ My response would always be do you want me to speak or do you want me to show you how to respond. So that’s how I encouraged her independence. I allowed her to see what I would do,” Michelle explains. 

It is a good example of the judgement skilled Disability Support Workers bring to their role. Good support is not simply about doing things for someone. It is also about knowing when to guide, when to demonstrate and when to create space for someone to develop their own skills. 

Building connection through strengths and interests

As Michelle got to know her participant, she also learned more about the things that mattered to her. One of those was swimming. 

The participant is an accomplished swimmer who had previously done open water swimming. Michelle decided to get in the pool with her, and it quickly became an activity where the usual dynamic between Disability Support Worker and participant could shift. 

Michelle explains: 

“She’s a champion swimmer and she used to do open water swimming. So, I decided to start swimming with her. I had to train but it ended up being an activity we could do together. Over time, she started encouraging me and it was a bonding experience.” 

Swimming gave the participant an opportunity to be the person with more experience. As the sessions continued, she began motivating Michelle to push herself too. 

“She liked the fact that I was training with her and then she would encourage me. I think the experience taught her how to interact and have fun with others in a positive way,” says Michelle.  

For Michelle, it was a chance to turn the support relationship around for a moment. The participant was not simply being supported. She was sharing something she was good at, encouraging someone else and taking on a different role within their relationship. 

The expertise behind good support

Michelle’s story shows how the expertise of a Disability Support Worker can be seen in everyday moments. It is in how they listen, respond and understand when to guide or step back. 

At Nextt, our disability professionals bring their skills and experience to a range of supports, from help with daily living, skill-building and community participation to finding the right home and supports.  

Explore Nextt’s disability support services to find out how we can help by getting in touch with our team on 1300 369 568