The therapeutic technique demonstrated by saying 'Yes, go on' to encourage the patient to continue speaking is called what?

• A. Active Listening
• B. Restatement
• C. General Leads
• D. Clarification

Answer: (C)

General leads are prompts that invite the patient to keep talking with minimal direction, like “Yes, go on.” This signals you’re listening and creates a safe space for the patient to share more detail in their own words. It helps uncover thoughts and feelings that might not come out without encouragement, and it keeps the conversation flowing without steering what they say.

This differs from active listening, which emphasizes reflecting or summarizing what the patient has said to show you understand; restatement, which repeats the patient’s words in different terms; and clarification, which asks questions to remove ambiguity. The simple invitation to continue is exactly what general leads are designed to do.