One the biggest spirit tasks we have before is the ability to empathize with another. And nowhere is that need more prominent then couples counseling, which asks that you put your ego aside for a bit and truly understand what your partner is going through. It’s not easy, of course. The ego is a rascal, trying every which way to get attention and to get a point across. But without empathy, we often feel the victim of another’s actions.
What is empathy exactly?
The word empathy came to us from the German word of einfuhlung, which means “feeling into.” Empathy is having the ability to understand another person and their emotions in pretty much the same way as that person sees themselves. Empathy is a major component of Emotional Intelligence and it is a primary contributor for healthy relationships and communication. Empathy should not be confused with sympathy, however, because empathy involves understanding the other person’s views and feelings while still maintaining your own perspectives; whereas sympathy involves adopting another person’s feelings and emotions as your own.
Not a simple job, empathy. But like a muscle, the more you develop it, the stronger it gets. If you want to understand your partner better, begin with empathy. No one intends bad, for the most part. So when someone’s actions are hurtful, its important to understand that there’s a high likelihood it comes from a hurt place in them. When you realize the pain that resides underneath a hurtful action, you are less likely to be reactive and the situation is less likely to escalate. Relationships, by their very nature, require some empathy in order to thrive.
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One the biggest spirit tasks we have before is the ability to empathize with another. And nowhere is that need more prominent then couples counseling, which asks that you put your ego aside for a bit and truly understand what your partner is going through. It’s not easy, of course. The ego is a rascal, trying every which way to get attention and to get a point across. But without empathy, we often feel the victim of another’s actions.
What is empathy exactly?
Not a simple job, empathy. But like a muscle, the more you develop it, the stronger it gets. If you want to understand your partner better, begin with empathy. No one intends bad, for the most part. So when someone’s actions are hurtful, its important to understand that there’s a high likelihood it comes from a hurt place in them. When you realize the pain that resides underneath a hurtful action, you are less likely to be reactive and the situation is less likely to escalate. Relationships, by their very nature, require some empathy in order to thrive.