Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Practice

Which technique uses silence effectively to demonstrate attention in counseling?

1. Paraphrasing

2. Attending

3. Summarizing

4. Reflection of feeling

The correct answer is: Attending

The technique that uses silence effectively to demonstrate attention in counseling is attending. This concept involves fully focusing on and being present for the client, which can be conveyed through nonverbal cues such as maintaining eye contact, nodding, and using silence strategically. Silence in this context shows clients that the counselor is actively listening and is engaged with what they are saying. It creates a space for the client to reflect, process their thoughts, and feel validated without the pressure of immediate verbal interaction. This technique helps build rapport and trust, as clients may feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts when they know they have their counselor’s full attention. In contrast, paraphrasing, summarizing, and reflection of feeling are all verbal techniques. Paraphrasing involves restating the client’s message in a different way to show understanding, summarizing synthesizes key points of the conversation, and reflecting feelings highlights the emotional content of what the client is expressing. While these techniques are important, they do not utilize silence as a means of demonstrating attention in the same way that attending does.