Don't Drown in Empathy

"Burnout and compassion fatigue are common problems for caregivers, as well as job hazards for those in the helping professions. What if I told you that feeling what others were feeling is part of the problem? Most of us would probably agree that the world needs more, not less empathy. And yet, drowning in empathy shuts us down and keeps us from taking meaningful action in the world."

"How do we keep growing in are ability to offer empathy and yet stay resilient? The answer to this question comes down to two distinct forms of empathy: cognitive and affective. Research suggests that while affective empathy can lead to overwhelm and shutdown, cognitive empathy-our ability to understand another's perspective without necessarily sharing their emotional state-may be the key to healthier relationships, better decision-making, and greater resilience."

"Cognitive empathy is understanding another's perspective without absorbing their emotions. Affective empathy can lead to burnout and impaired objectivity if unbalanced. Strengthening cognitive empathy improves communication, resilience, and conflict resolution. Active listening, curiosity, and emotional boundaries are essential for cognitive empathy. Are you buying into these myths: In order to help someone, I need to feel what they feel. I am an empath, and I cannot help getting overwhelmed and shut down by others' emotions."

Empathy comprises two distinct capacities: affective empathy, which involves sharing or mirroring another's emotions, and cognitive empathy, which involves understanding another's perspective without absorbing their feelings. Excessive affective empathy increases risk of burnout, compassion fatigue, overwhelm, and impaired objectivity. Cultivating cognitive empathy supports clearer decision-making, stronger communication, better conflict resolution, and greater interpersonal resilience. Practical supports for cognitive empathy include active listening, curiosity, and firm emotional boundaries. Rejecting myths that helping requires matching another's emotional state enables sustained compassionate action and reduces emotional hazards in caregiving and helping professions.

Read at Psychology Today