In ministering to children from disrupted homes, we stress the need to empathize with what the kids are going through – not sympathize! This great video is one of the most succinct explanations of the difference between empathy and sympathy that I have found.
The video makes some great points, and I encourage you to watch the whole thing (it’s only 2:53 long after all).
One of the interesting things in the video was a study of professions where empathy is relevant and identifying four components of empathy:
- Perspective taking (taking someone else’s
- Staying out of judgment
- Recognizing emotion in other people
- Communicating that
There are some great takeaway quotes from the video too: Continue reading