Communication and Interpersonal Skills
What the candidate must know
Core skills include active listening, reflection, paraphrasing, summarizing, open-ended questions, clarification, and appropriate use of silence. Know the difference between empathy (understanding and communicating that understanding) and sympathy (sharing feelings). Empathy supports alliance and disclosure.
Know how to manage resistance without confrontation: roll with resistance, avoid argument, and explore ambivalence. Know how to give feedback using specific, behavioral language, and how to repair ruptures in the therapeutic alliance.
Traps in questions
- Responding with advice before the client feels heard.
- Using closed questions that shut down exploration.
- Confusing empathy with agreement or endorsement.
- Ignoring nonverbal cues and cultural communication norms.
Rule of thumb
When in doubt, reflect before directing. A reflection communicates understanding and invites elaboration; a question steers the conversation and should be used deliberately.
Worked example
Client: "Nobody gets it." Weak response: "Have you tried a support group?" Strong response: "It sounds like you feel very alone right now, even among people who care about you." The second response names the feeling and invites the client to continue.