Which clinical skill is the ability to perceive another person's experience and communicate that perception back to the person?

• A. Active Listening
• B. Paraphrasing
• C. Empathy
• D. Probing

Answer: (B)

Paraphrasing is the skill of hearing what the client is expressing and restating it in your own words to reflect the meaning back to them. This confirms that you’ve understood their experience accurately and shows you’re attuned to what they’re going through. It’s a concrete way to communicate perception and invites the client to confirm or correct your understanding, which helps build trust and ensure you’re on the same page.

Active listening is the broader process of giving full attention and responding in ways that encourage the client to continue, which includes paraphrasing as one technique. Empathy focuses on recognizing and resonating with the client’s feelings, often expressed through statements about how their experience is affecting them. Probing involves asking questions to gather more information.