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The Application of Empathy to Professions in Psychology

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The Application of Empathy to Professions in Psychology

The following report discusses the importance of communicating effectively within a health-related context – more specifically, in a psychological environment – and will critically explore the effective application of empathy as a key communication skill utilised in the practice of a professional psychologist. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the relevance of empathy across a broad range of clientele, the ways in which empathy is communicated effectively to clients, its purpose in the context of client-practitioner trust, factors which may inhibit the conveyance of empathy, and the influence empathy plays in day-to-day social interactions, which will be examined through a personal account.
Within the role of a practising psychologist, and indeed across all areas of health professions which incorporate the need for interpersonal communication, empathy is an invaluable skill which helps the practitioner to garner an understanding of their client’s emotions and thoughts, and is essential to a successful clinical environment (Gerdes, Segal, Jackson, & Mullins, 2011). Unlike sympathy, empathy does not necessarily require the acceptance of an individual’s behaviour in order to grasp and empathise with the feelings they may be experiencing; rather, it requires the process of emotionally engaging with the client in an unbiased attempt to understand their thoughts and emotions, and in order to do so, a psychologist must effectively place themself in the ‘shoes’ of the client in order to better appreciate their point of view (Tyler, Kossen & Ryan, 2005). The use of empathy as an effective communication skill is relevant to and utilised across a range of clientele. In couple’s counselling and therapies, encouraging the use of empathy within a couple is a powerful positive relationship-building

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