Empathy

A response to the Like Driving a Car Activity
created by Karyn Baker (@Karyn Baker)

Number of views: 128

Empathy is definitely my expert blind spot. It is probably one of the most crucial concepts yet so difficult to teach as a heartfelt stance and as a skill. Even as a skill it is so layered and complex. We are striving to get students to land in a place called “exquisite empathy” – whereby as helpers we can connect so deeply to another without jeopardizing our own care. I love the image of taking off the glasses as empathy begins with understanding our own perspective (our lens) but it means taking off our glasses to see the perspective of others. It means being open-minded to what another may be experiencing – making space in our minds and hearts for that experience. Empathy is about noticing in our hearts what someone may be experiencing – how do we feel our bodily sensations. But the most important part is to not just think empathetic thoughts (not sympathetic), not to just feel the empathy but to express these thoughts and feelings back to the other person.