Analytic psychotherapy has changed and developed since the time of Freud, with increasing emphasis on the therapeutic relationship. A recent survey of my former patients — seen over a period spanning five decades — highlights 9 particular ingredients that help place the relationship at the heart of successful therapy.

Although we are hardwired for empathy, so many people indulge in selfish behavior. Our culture would be in a lot better shape if more people demonstrated empathy — and here are three skills that can help increase empathy.

Vilifying the rich has become popular. Yet a recent survey shows that wealthy individuals don’t feel rich despite their financial standing. What drives the rich to get ever-richer, and what does it tell us about the psychology of wealth?

Pain is pain, regardless of the type or source. Even on a neurological level, emotional heartache can be every bit as painful as touching a hot stove.

When we experience a traumatic or deeply upsetting event, it’s important to give ourselves the time and space to heal, and not expect recovery to be without its setbacks.

Empathy facilitates understanding between counsellors and clients who do not speak the same language. What about online therapy, in which the language is there, without the bodily resonant experience of empathy?

In a multicultural society, it’s inevitable that counsellors, like everyone else, will come across people whose first or even second language is not English. But if therapist and client are — quite literally — speaking different languages, how can therapeutic work even begin to take place? The answer lies in the gift of empathy.