Relational empathy: Beyond modernist egocentricism to postmodern holistic contextualism.

O’Hara, Maureen

doi:10.1037/10226-013

Cited by 39 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…In addition, the question of specifically how one's 'imaginative capacities' are accessed is not addressed. O'Hara (1997) and Jordon (1997) also make attempts at reconsidering empathy from a postmodern perspective. In particular, O'Hara (1997) acknowledges the limitations of modernist 'egocentric' conceptions of empathy 'wherein one*/the therapist*/attempts to discern something happening within the skin of the other*/ the client' (p. 300) and promotes empathy as a decidedly relational concept that can occur on conscious and unconscious levels.…”

Section: Postmodern Revisions Of Liberal-humanism and Empathymentioning

confidence: 96%

Discursive empathy: A new foundation for therapeutic practice

Sinclair¹,

Monk²

2005

British Journal of Guidance & Counselling

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This article represents a poststructuralist critique and review of the role of empathy in the therapeutic relationship. Incorporating Foucauldian contributions, we seek to expand upon the largely liberal-humanistic descriptions about the nature of empathy, which in our view fail to acknowledge fully the impact of culture in the therapy arena. In focusing our attention on re-examining the nature and role of empathy in counselling practice, we explicitly show how the poststructural conceptual tools of discourse, positioning, and deconstruction promote greater movement toward a reconceptualisation of empathy that fully appreciates the extent to which our clients' experiences are necessarily a sociocultural production. In addition, it is proposed that further application of the poststructuralist approach will highlight the potency of this metaphor for understanding the discursive production of problems and for connecting and empathising with clients in a way that is reflexive, respectful, and socially just.

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Section: Postmodern Revisions Of Liberal-humanism and Empathymentioning

confidence: 96%

Discursive empathy: A new foundation for therapeutic practice

Sinclair¹,

Monk²

2005

British Journal of Guidance & Counselling

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“…A significant portion of the current literature emphasizes that therapeutic empathy be understood more ecologically, as a process that focuses not just on the person, but rather on the person-in-context/environment (Dyche and Zayas 2001;Freedberg 2007;Jenkins 1999;Martin and Dawda 1999;Nissim-Sabat 1995;O'Hara 1999;Parson 1993;Pedersen 2008;Pugh and Vetere 2009;Raines 1990;Sells et al 2004). This portion of the literature coincides with increased attention to therapist cultural competence (Sue and Lam 2002;Wintersteen et al 2005).…”

Section: Empathy and Contextmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Others advocate for defining therapeutic empathy as operationally inseparable from other essential relationship conditions such as genuineness and positive regard (Bohart et al 2002;Bohart and Greenberg 1999a;Bozarth 1999;Bozarth 2009). At the broader end are articles describing therapeutic empathy as the whole action of the change process (Jordan 1999;Mahrer 1999;O'Hara 1999;Warner 1999). Each perspective contributes to understanding the role of attitude in therapeutic empathy.…”

Section: Empathy and Attitudementioning

confidence: 98%

Understanding Empathy as a Complex Construct: A Review of the Literature

Gibbons

2010

Clin Soc Work J

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The purpose of this article is to describe empathy as a complex construct, and its implications for practice. A review of current literature affirms the central role of empathy in psychotherapy, and the importance of mastering it for effective practice. Contributions from perspectives of attitude, context and social neuroscience converge to suggest a dynamic complex construct, useful as a framework for practice application. Influenced by factors such as attitudes, contexts, and values, the quality of empathic engagement is shown to emerge from their unique mix, within and between therapist and patient, and is always grounded in shared, embodied humanity. The essential role of the therapist's self-regulation is demonstrated. A number of strategies for more consciously managing empathic engagement, and for balancing affect-regulation challenges with self-care are described.Keywords Clinical practice Á Empathy Á Professional development Á Psychotherapy Á Therapeutic empathy Defining empathy in clinical social work/psychotherapy has been a longstanding challenge (Barrett-Lennard 1981;

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“…In exploring the concept from an intersubjective perspective, Trop and Stolorow (1997) argued that empathy is a " distinctive investigatory stance " (p. 281). O ' Hara (1997) distinguished between egocentric and sociocentric empathy. Eagle and Wolitzky (1997) noted that the term empathy is used in at least six different senses: empathy as a genetically based ability to understand, a means of relating to others, and a means of responding to others; empathy as a method of observation and data-gathering; empathy as a means of listening; empathy as a developmental need; empathy in communication; empathy as a therapeutic agent.…”

Section: Thoughts On Empathymentioning

confidence: 99%

Concern and Empathy: Two Concepts or One?

Tolmacz

2008

Am J Psychoanal

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For years, concern was treated as a marginal concept in psychoanalytic thought. Awareness of its importance increased due to the rise of object-relations theories: Suttie's description of the inborn impulse to give, attachment theory and the behavioral system of caregiving, and of course the emphasis on concern in the theoretical thinking of Winnicott, who even wanted to change the Kleinian term depressive position to stage of concern. However, the centrality that empathy took on with the appearance of self psychology made it seem unnecessary to pay separate attention to concern. The relational approach sheds new light on the concept of concern. This paper proposes distinguishing between empathy and concern as two different mental functions that affect each other. Under normal conditions they are intertwined and produce the unique way in which the individual relates to others.

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Relational empathy: Beyond modernist egocentricism to postmodern holistic contextualism.

Cited by 39 publications

References 20 publications

Discursive empathy: A new foundation for therapeutic practice

Discursive empathy: A new foundation for therapeutic practice

Understanding Empathy as a Complex Construct: A Review of the Literature

Concern and Empathy: Two Concepts or One?

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