Labeling is when you spot feelings, turn them into words, and respectfully repeat them back to person. This validates and acknowledges the other party’s emotion.
- The first step to labeling is detecting the other person’s emotional state. This is often done by observing how people react to what you say.
- Label the emotion using “It seems like..”“It sounds like…”“It looks like..” which phrases the label as a neutral observation, rather than your observation “I think you you feel X”… which makes the person feel you are concerned with yourself.
- If the other person disagrees you can
- Silence (allow the other person to react and reveal themselves)
Labeling helps the other person to feel appreciated and understood.