Summary of Karla McLaren's The Art of Empathy

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 Empathy is the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes, and it is essential to the health of your relationships, as well as your social and emotional skills. It is crucial to the functioning of all social structures.

#2 Empathy is a social and emotional skill that helps us feel and understand the emotions, circumstances, intentions, thoughts, and needs of others. It is a trait that is shared by many of our animal friends, and it is very strong in certain people.

#3 Empaths are people who are extremely aware of how they read emotions and social cues, and they often don’t know how to control it. Empaths are simply aware of their heightened ability to read emotions and social cues, and they use it to help others.

#4 I learned through cultural training that receiving emotions from others was something to avoid, because emotions were constantly portrayed as unwelcome, irrational, and even dangerous. I grew up and learned how to live as a hyperempath, but I had to veer away from almost all of my cultural training about emotions so that I could understand them empathically and work with them intelligently.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: May 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9798822516236

IRB Media

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Insights on Karla McLaren's The Art of Empathy

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes, and it is essential to the health of your relationships, as well as your social and emotional skills. It is crucial to the functioning of all social structures.

#2

Empathy is a social and emotional skill that helps us feel and understand the emotions, circumstances, intentions, thoughts, and needs of others. It is a trait that is shared by many of our animal friends, and it is very strong in certain people.

#3

Empaths are people who are extremely aware of how they read emotions and social cues, and they often don’t know how to control it. Empaths are simply aware of their heightened ability to read emotions and social cues, and they use it to help others.

#4

I learned through cultural training that receiving emotions from others was something to avoid, because emotions were constantly portrayed as unwelcome, irrational, and even dangerous. I grew up and learned how to live as a hyperempath, but I had to veer away from almost all of my cultural training about emotions so that I could understand them empathically and work with them intelligently.

#5

I observed Joseph and Iris talking at my gym. Joseph was telling his story, and Iris was leaning in happily to add her own piece about some biblical character. As they spoke, Joseph’s back tightened up with small amounts of anger and shock.

#6

There is a rich and fascinating interactional space between people, and though we all depend on it for our social existence, we rarely acknowledge it. This book aims to help you understand and become skilled in regard to this space.

#7

You are already an empathic person, because your awareness of emotions, nuance, gestural language, and interaction is a function of being a member of our highly social species. The Art of Empathy will not magically turn you into an empath, but it will help you become a healthy, effective, and intentional empath so that you can understand emotions and use your empathy comfortably.

#8

Empathic abilities are not magical, but they are normal human abilities that can be developed. Emotions are the most difficult thing for an empath to deal with, as they can be extremely uncomfortable for them to experience.

#9

Empathy helps you understand, connect with, and care about others. It helps you create healthy relationships, communities, and societies. As our world becomes more multicultural, we can see the chilling effects of people becoming intentionally less empathic about the other, whether that other is a person of color, a woman, or a disabled person.

#10

Empathy is a vital skill that we all possess to some degree, and it can be developed throughout our lives. It is a fluid and malleable skill that can be increased or moderated at any age.

#11

I tend to know how others are feeling, even if they are trying to hide it. I am drawn to situations of injustice, and I spend a lot of time thinking about how to alleviate suffering. I love to watch interactions, especially when the people or animals are unaware of me.

#12

If you answered yes to twenty or fewer of these questions, you can consider yourself to be somewhat low in empathic ability. However, the reasons for