In client-centered therapy, __________ refers to the recognition of a client's experiences and feelings.

A) genuineness
B) unconditional positive regard
C) empathy
D) free association

Empathy refers to the therapist's ability to understand and validate the client's experiences and emotions. This is a key component of client-centered therapy, which emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive and non-judgmental environment for clients in order to facilitate personal growth and self-understanding. Genuine and unconditional positive regard are also important elements of the therapy, but they do not specifically refer to the therapist's recognition of the client's experiences and feelings. Free association, on the other hand, is not a direct component of client-centered therapy, but rather a technique used in psychoanalytic therapy.