Ep. 51- The Dark Side of Empathy

Send us Fan MailEmpathy has the power to help us understand, connect and feel some of the emotions that other people are feeling around us. This is a great skill to have, but it also has a little bit of a dark side. Today, we're talking about how we can use empathy in a way that protects both us and others.I explore how empathy can help us connect and understand others, but also how it can lead us into a trap of judgement and emotional challenges. We chat about the idea of 'selective empathy' and how it affects our society and personal relationships. We also discuss hyper-empathy syndrome, where people feel emotions so deeply, they can't separate their feelings from others. I highlight the importance of setting emotional boundaries so you can still be empathetic without losing yourself. There is a way to use empathy so that it serves you rather than hurts you!  If you'd like to get the show notes for this episode, head to: https://leighgermann.com