Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) Practice Exam

During a training session, an ACE Certified Personal Trainer states, "You're worried that it is too difficult to lose weight." Which communication skill is the trainer using?

1. Reflective listening

2. Summarizing

3. Closed statement

4. Offering affirmation

The correct answer is: Reflective listening

The chosen answer reflects the trainer's use of reflective listening, which involves actively acknowledging and restating what a client has expressed. By articulating the client's concern about the difficulty of losing weight, the trainer demonstrates an understanding of the client's feelings and perspectives. This technique helps to create a supportive environment where the client feels heard and validated, ultimately fostering open communication. In this context, reflective listening is crucial for building rapport and trust, as it shows that the trainer is not only hearing the words but is also grasping the emotions behind them. This can lead to a deeper conversation about the client's challenges and can help the trainer tailor strategies that resonate with the client’s experiences and feelings. Other options don’t align in the same way; for example, summarizing would involve restating the main points of a conversation rather than focusing on the emotional nuance, while a closed statement would not allow for further dialogue. Offering affirmation typically involves reinforcing positive aspects or behaviors, which doesn’t directly relate to addressing concerns about weight loss difficulty.