You need to be able to retain a lot of information, rephrase it into coherent summaries, and be able to interpret what a person is saying. They also need to stay engaged with nonverbals so that the person knows we are there to listen and help. Being a helper means putting your feelings and prejudices at the door, focusing on what that person is going through, and realizing that we all see the world differently. As assistants we should not be afraid to say we don't know and realize that we need to refer to the literature to help us grow as professionals in this area.