What is empathy?
– Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
– Empathy is a key indicator of emotional intelligence.
– Empathy is derived from the Ancient Greek word ἐμπάθεια (empatheia) meaning physical affection, passion, partiality.
– Empathy is an important part of counselling techniques.
– A lack of empathy could lead to a lack of helping behavior or rude comments.
– Empathy involves perspective-taking and vicarious emotion.
– Empathy is different from sympathy, as empathy requires understanding the person’s feelings.
– Empathy is about experiencing feelings as if you were that person through the power of imagination.
– There are three types of empathy: cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and compassionate empathy.
– Empathy is core in therapeutic practice to create a safe and confidential relationship with the client.
