Incredible as it is, the composition that human beings are made of carries countless points to admire, given the possibilities. Here we also talk about leaving a place and being fully able to experience emotions and situations that are not yours. Understand better the concept of Empathy in Psychology and how it manifests itself in us.

What is empathy?

Empathy in psychology is the psychic ability to feel what another person feels in the same situation In other words, we are able to reflect other people's emotions as a way of understanding another person's reality, so we can understand their feelings and objectively experience what the other person experiences.

The fact that someone is empathic naturally moves them to help others. This type of mechanism links up with altruism, causing us to show love, interest, and a willingness to collaborate. Based on your ability to feel someone's pain you will be interested in supporting others whenever you can.

Through this ability we can better construct perceptions about someone's behavior. There is a greater sensitivity to understanding their experience and observing some circumstances. Understanding how the other makes decisions, and if they are noble, the empath will be willing to side with them.

The Meaning of Empathy in Psychology

The concept of empathy for psychology takes on a deeper contour when it comes to treatment, because the relationship between therapist and patient depends on this connection to ensure the success of therapy. On this path, the psychologist will only do a great job when he stimulates empathy between him and the patients .

This kind of contact in therapy is important so that he/she can fully understand the other person's problems. In this way it is easier to put oneself in someone's place and to see properly what the structure of one's essence is. Thus one can work on one's insecurities, one's fears, and understand one's thoughts within the therapy in question.

It is necessary to go beyond simply putting yourself in your patient's shoes. The therapist needs to know how you can share the emotions you experience within yourself. Consequently, this opens the door to nurturing an emotional bond and studying all the demands within therapy.

What prevents someone from being empathetic?

When we look at empathy in Psychology we notice a sad reality: not everyone can be an empathetic person. Not that they have to, by any means, but think of the gains that the whole society could have. This happens because most people can't get past the barriers of selfishness to think of others .

Not to mention the prejudice, since people in more vulnerable situations end up being badly seen by some. Many people are unable to deal with the different or unknown in their daily lives. While many have not been conditioned, educated for this, others don't give a damn.

The exercise of empathy becomes simpler to happen when we become able to take our eyes off ourselves Our problems, despite their seriousness, are not the only ones in the world. There are people in an even more critical situation and that a shoulder could help alleviate some of this suffering.

Curiosity about strangers

Although this may seem risky, studying empathy in psychology, we notice that it becomes some common to growth. Empaths are curious about people who are not part of their everyday life Not only the willingness to help someone, but also to help yourself through this momentary surrender.

Note that in childhood we carry a curiosity about people and the world in a natural way for our growth. It happens that when this primordial need passes in adulthood we put it aside. However, empaths understand the value of these small exchanges and the gains they can bring.

Having this curiosity keeps empathy alive when we communicate with individuals who are not part of our circle. Through this we experience perspectives and lives far from our own, broadening our view. It is understanding the existential richness that others carry and realizing the inherent possibilities.

The breaking of prejudices

Studying possibilities, empathy in psychology is an excellent tool for us to break prejudices There are pre-established rules in society that, unfortunately, are unfair to specific groups, because discrimination prevents many people from being willing to truly know the reality of others.

The collective assumptions and labels that we contribute to exist end up depreciating the idea of individuality. There is not a greater sensitivity to see the individual, in order to understand his or her demands.

However, people with empathy are easily able to overcome the prejudices in their minds. There is a natural movement to understand what you share in common with someone, and not what separates you .

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The actions of the empath

Finding out more about empathy in psychology doesn't make it so hard to recognize someone with these characteristics. Certainly as an empath you possess some of them to varying degrees, something common to an empath. For example:

Experience someone else's life

They are able to expand their consciousness to directly experience everything that the other experiences. The moment we step out of our everyday lives we end up experiencing reasons and perspectives that are different from our own. Thus, you can understand what your limits are and your visual range of the world.

Imagination

Instead of only addressing those who live on the margins of society, empathy is also addressed to other realities. For example, imagine the challenges someone faces because they have different beliefs and are placed as a minority. Your imagination is big enough to understand different kinds of pain.

Listening and opening up

Listening allows you to receive someone's reality, to analyze and understand their difficulties. Opening up is the way to return impressions from your perspective in resonance with the situation described. Do you understand how vital the act of knowing how to listen is to productive communication?

Inspire others

More simply, think of the actions of donors and volunteers to people who have been victims of tragedies and have lost everything. There is an inspiration here that has moved one group to stand in solidarity with another. Not only does it motivate others to participate and reformulate themselves, it also sets an example for the children .

Examples

Empathy in Psychology is found in our daily life in small realities and various forms. Surely you have already manifested some of it, witnessed it or been part of the final chain of it directed to you. That is why we bring some examples, such as:

Disasters

As stated above, people mobilize so that they can help others in times of need. So much so that it is common in Brazil in tragic moments for solidarity to emerge at critical moments and mobilize thousands.

Minority Support

When we witness someone being a victim of discrimination and feel angry about the situation, empathy makes us sympathize with them and, in many cases, support them in seeking legal redress.

Animal Kingdom

It is also quite common to have empathic relationships with animals of the same or even different species. Recently a female dog voluntarily adopted a goat puppy that was rejected by its mother after losing almost the entire litter. Known as Blizzie, according to the owners, the dog jumped the fence and voluntarily took in the puppy, even breastfeeding it.

Final considerations about empathy in Psychology

Empathy in psychology describes our willingness to experience another's life and develop connection This kind of posture collaborates directly in the construction of our self-knowledge and awareness of the world in which we live.

On this path we can work better on our own emotions to understand the parallel reality more fully. In the end, we can build the bridges needed to connect with others and break down the walls along the way.

In order to polish yourself and grow exponentially, enroll in our online course on Clinical Psychoanalysis. Not only will the course help you improve your self-knowledge, it will also collaborate with your search for reform. Beyond empathy in psychology, you will understand the meaning of transformation and internal revolution for the sake of yourself and others .

I want information to enroll in the Psychoanalysis Course .