A person feels heard when your response fits what they actually said.

Being heard is confirmed by fit, not by eye contact or nodding. When a reply lands slightly to the side of what was said, the speaker learns that you were assembling your own thoughts while they talked. The gap is small and unmistakable. It is also why people can feel unheard in conversations that looked attentive from outside.

Before you answer something that matters this week, say back the specific thing the person actually raised. Use their words rather than your summary of them. If you are unsure which part they meant, ask, and let the answer shape your reply instead of your plan for it.