Let me say it again – you are not responsible for someone else’s mental health. To be clear, I am not talking about abuse. If you are verbally, physically, mentally or emotionally abusive, then you ARE responsible. If you are …
Tag: Empathy
Too Much Empathy?
I hear a lot of people in my clinic feel that they are too empathetic. They can feel the other person’s discomfort or pain and just want it to go away. This is the result of a high level of …
An Exercise to Build Empathy
Empathy is a skill we learn in childhood. It comes from having attuned parents who meet our needs. With attuned parents it is safe to feel what they are feeling. We learn that when we express understanding for our parent’s …
The Benefits of Practicing Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand how others are feeling and show compassion towards them. It is the ability to imagine what someone else’s life is like, to stand in their shoes and feel what they feel, from their point …
Empathy and the Brain
Empathy is the ability to understand how others are feeling and show compassion towards them. It is the ability to imagine what someone else’s life is like, to stand in their shoes and feel what they feel, from their point …
Four Areas of Emotional Intelligence
Socrates in Plato’s Apology was credited with saying “An unexamined life is not worth living”. This is at the core of self-awareness. Self-awareness calls us to reflect on our words and actions, to be curious about our triggers, to understand …
Empathy is Learned in Childhood
Empathy is the ability to feel compassion for other people., it involves being sensitive to the feelings of others and reacting with that information in mind. If you have had children, you will know that in the early years children …
What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ)?
Emotional intelligence, emotional quotient (EQ), is the ability to understand and process your emotions in a positive way to release stress, empathise with others, communicate effectively and work through conflicts. If you have ever worked or lived with someone with …
How to Understand Someone Else’s Point of View
When we take on the perspective of someone else, a whole network of brain regions become activated. The dorsomedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, the temporoparietal junction and precuneus. These areas are responsible for memory, attention, social cognition, integration and mental …