Theresa Wiseman’s Four Attributes of Empathy

To be able to see the world as others see it – this requires putting our stuff aside to see the situation through the eyes of a loved one.
To be nonjudgemental – judgement of another person’s situation discounts the experience and is an attempt to protect ourselves from the pain of the situation.
To understand another person’s feelings – we need to be in touch with our personal feelings in order to understand someone else’s. This also requires putting aside “us” to focus on our loved one.
To communicate our understanding of that person’s feelings – rather than saying, “At least…” or “It could be worse…” try, “I’ve been there, and that really hurts,” or “It sounds like you are in a hard place now. Tell me more about it.”

Empathy is a choice, and “it’s a vulnerable choice“.

By Janey Francis 0 Comments 1