Mastering these three skills of good listening — accurate paraphrase, productive questions and perception check — fosters the emotional connection between persons. While they presuppose a certain level of basic trust, they also function to further that trust. If a person begins to speak hesitantly and the listener conveys his respect by empathically focusing on her feelings and needs, she has the space to consider sharing further, The more that one receives with care, the more trust will be engendered. As the speaker tells her story, she will gain a deeper emotional connection with herself.
via Paying Attention.
(The article appeared originally in Christian Century, August 22, 2006, and is there said to be written by Deborah van Deusen Hunsinger).