Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings. It means putting yourself in someone else’s shoes emotionally. In counseling, empathy helps the client feel heard, respected, and supported. It builds trust and encourages open communication. Unlike sympathy, which feels sorry for someone, empathy involves deeply connecting with their experience. For example, if a client is sad about losing a job, the counselor tries to feel and understand that sadness genuinely. Empathy is one of the core qualities of a good counselor and plays a key role in the healing process.