After a person explains all their money worries, what special listening trick helps you show you understand how those worries *feelto them, not just the facts?

The special listening trick that helps you show you understand how money worries *feelto someone, beyond just the facts, is called reflecting feelings. This technique involves identifying the underlying emotions the person expresses when discussing their financial concerns and then verbalizing those specific emotions back to them. It goes beyond simply recalling the factual details of their money situation, such as the amount of debt or specific expenses, and instead focuses on the emotional impact of those facts. To use this, you attentively listen for emotional words they use (like "stressed," "helpless," "frustrated," "scared," "overwhelmed"), observe their tone of voice, and notice any non-verbal cues that convey an emotional state. Once you identify an emotion, you articulate it back to them in a clear and empathetic statement. For example, if a person details their struggles with bills piling up and income cuts, a reflective feelings response would be, "It sounds like you're feeling quite overwhelmed and anxious about making ends meet right now." This is different from a factual summary, which would just recap the specific financial details. The core purpose of reflecting feelings is to demonstrate empathy, which is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. By naming and acknowledging their emotions, you validate their internal experience, confirming that you not only heard their words but also grasped the personal and emotional weight of their situation. This makes them feel truly heard, understood, and less isolated, fostering a deeper level of trust and encouraging them to share more openly, knowing their feelings are recognized and accepted.