http://counsellingresource.com/features/2007/10/09/empathy-as-if/ Looking at life through the prism of psychology, philosophy, mental health and more. Originally created by counsellor, psychotherapist and philosopher Dr Greg Mulhauser, this blog is now the work of an international team of contributors. Fri, 25 May 2012 16:17:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://counsellingresource.com/features/2007/10/09/empathy-as-if/comment-page-1/#comment-41949 Sarah Luczaj Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:00:36 +0000 http://counsellingresource.com/features/2007/10/09/empathy-as-if/#comment-41949 You're right, it's very important for the counsellor to be able to convey their empathy to the client - often this happens through body language, although not always - sometimes looking at a session from the outside we see a therapist and client looking quite 'closed' but they did not experience the session that way. There are also other forms of counselling when the counsellor isn't physically present, but the empathy 'gets through' somehow. I see empathy is a way of kind of putting yourself aside and entering someone else's world. None of us have ever actually been there in someone else's shoes... You’re right, it’s very important for the counsellor to be able to convey their empathy to the client – often this happens through body language, although not always – sometimes looking at a session from the outside we see a therapist and client looking quite ‘closed’ but they did not experience the session that way. There are also other forms of counselling when the counsellor isn’t physically present, but the empathy ‘gets through’ somehow.
I see empathy is a way of kind of putting yourself aside and entering someone else’s world. None of us have ever actually been there in someone else’s shoes…

]]> http://counsellingresource.com/features/2007/10/09/empathy-as-if/comment-page-1/#comment-41931 karen Mon, 29 Oct 2007 02:54:44 +0000 http://counsellingresource.com/features/2007/10/09/empathy-as-if/#comment-41931 If a client is pouring out their painful problems to a therapist and the therapist has NO empathy looking facial expressions then the patient would feel as if the emtions they are experiencing are not valid. If the therapist cannot actually relate to the problems because they have not been in the same situations she should at least feel empathy for the clients' emotions conscientiously. If a client is pouring out their painful problems to a therapist and the therapist has NO empathy looking facial expressions then the patient would feel as if the emtions they are experiencing are
not valid. If the therapist cannot actually relate to the problems because they have not been in the same situations she should at least feel empathy for the clients’ emotions conscientiously.

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