Empathy-often missunderstood...

I am back on line and was very pleased to read Jim's thoughtful propositions. Jim, I think you are making an important contribution with your concept of an empathic presence. It offers an attitude that will be helpful and orienting for us all. In and out of therapy ! In particular it emphasis that one does not need to get "it " right, but rather be willing to struggle with another to reach a deeper, truer understanding. This is music to the ears of an omnipotent girl like me and I am sure many others! You are correct in suggesting that it is a part of Control Mastery theory. A Control Mastery therapist is searching to understand the experiences and feelings that she is seeing, hearing about, and sharing with her patients. We find that one must often get in wrong. It is often the only way to really understanding and help our patients. That is by struggling with many of the same conflicts that they are or had to deal with in the past. You give a lovely overview of the basis of Control Mastery. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

• ...and misunderstood as understanding itself... by Jim Duffy, 5/27/98