Explore the heart of human connection in this workshop on empathy. Social work scholars Allen Ivey, Paul Pederson, and Mary Ivey define empathy as "the ability to perceive a situation from the other person's perspective. To see, hear and feel the unique world of the other." In the growing body of emotion research, we find that empathy is a vital component in successful marriages, parenting, and healthy families. Studies also show that successful leaders often demonstrate high levels of empathy; that empathy is related to academic and professional success; that it can reduce aggression and prejudice and increase our resilience to shame. The bottom line is that empathy is essential for building meaningful, trusting relationships, which is something we all want and need.
Given its power to facilitate connection and its key role in building relationships, why do so many of us struggle to feel as empathic as we would like – and how do we deal with our own unmet needs for empathy? What happens when we experience empathic failure - the often painful inability or unwillingness to offer and receive empathy?
In this workshop we will explore the concept of empathy and identify specific strategies for increasing our capacity for it. We will also discuss some of the most important questions on the topic, including: What is the relationship between empathy and compassion? What's the difference between empathy and sympathy? How do we deal with our unmet needs for empathy? What are the primary reasons for empathic failure? How is our capacity for empathy affected by fear, vulnerability, uncertainty, and shame? What does neuroscience tell us about empathy? Can we teach and learn empathy? |
