5 Tips to Build More Empathy

In our last blog post, we spoke about the benefits of empathy. We learned that empathy allows us to build stronger social connections, reduce conflict, improve mental well-being, and heal global strife. Empathy is a powerful tool for change.

While we all hold varying degrees of empathy, both through nature and nurture, we all have the ability to improve our empathic practices. Want to start boosting your empathy today? Try out these five tips:

How to Build More Empathy

1. Practice Active Listening

Listening is the first step to building empathy. We can’t connect with how someone else might be feeling if we haven’t listened to a word they said! Start by focusing entirely on the speaker. If your mind wanders or you start thinking of what you want to say in response, pause and tune back in to what they’re saying.

It's also a good idea to avoid interruptions, so put your phone away and stop folding laundry. We need to provide our full attention to build empathy. Make sure to not only pay attention to their words but also to their tone, body language, and demeanor. Sometimes people tell us much more with their bodies than with their words.

2. Engage in Perspective-Taking

Your friend is talking about their most recent argument with their spouse. Instead of thinking about how you would handle the situation, consciously put yourself in your friend’s shoes. Think about what you know about them, their history, and how they experience the world. This will help you better understand their perspective and develop more empathy for their plight.

3. Cultivate Curiosity About Others

It’s harder to be empathic toward someone we don’t know or people in our lives we know little about. To foster more empathy, it’s time to turn strangers into friends. Show genuine interest in people's lives. Throw yourself wholeheartedly into conversations. Attempt to learn more about them and their experiences. Make sure to ask open-ended questions to build greater understanding. The more we know about someone else, the easier it is to build empathy.

4. Develop Mindfulness

Humans spend most of their time being distracted. We’re either scrolling our phones, answering emails, or lost in our thoughts. Mindlessness keeps us disconnected from those around us.

To build connection and empathy toward others, we have to be present. Being present enhances your awareness of others' emotions and allows for deeper connections. Mindfulness—a state of present-moment awareness that involves paying attention to one's thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment—can help you attune to the present moment. Once you’re in the present, you can start connecting with the emotional cues of others and build a greater sense of empathy.

5. Consider Therapy

Therapy itself is an empathetic space. Therapists are trained to build empathy for clients so that we can better understand their needs. Therapy allows you to feel the benefits of empathy in real-time. It is also a space where you can work to build your own empathy toward those around you.

Therapy helps you unpack challenging interpersonal relationships and gain insight into yourself and the other person in the relationship. Building empathy toward others through therapy can help you heal and improve difficult relationships.

Therapy as a Tool for Building Empathy

Attending therapy can be a transformative way to develop empathy. Our team at Calm Mind Therapy not only models empathetic behavior during sessions but also helps our clients identify and understand their own emotional experiences. This self-awareness is essential for extending empathy to others.

Our clients often explore family dynamics, relational patterns, and past traumas, which can illuminate why others behave in certain ways. Through these insights, we watch our clients foster greater compassion and reduce judgment. Group therapy, in particular, offers a unique opportunity to hear diverse perspectives and practice empathy in a supportive environment.

Final Thoughts

Looking to live a more empathetic life? Well, now’s your chance. Empathy allows us to build deeper connections, resolve conflict, improve mental well-being, and heal global strife. It is also a skill we can hone and develop. Start by trying out our five tips to develop more empathy.

If you want to continue building your empathy chops, try therapy with the Calm Mind team. We’re a team of warm, supportive, and empathetic therapists that provide a safe space for all of our clients. We’ve helped hundreds of clients build a greater sense of connection to themselves and others, and we’d love to offer you the same support. You deserve it.

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Calm Mind Therapy is a boutique mental health practice located in Ardmore, PA, specializing in the care of children, adolescents, and adults. Our mission is to provide the Main Line with high-quality mental health services for all ages. Our goal is to help our clients achieve emotional well-being and build a life worth living. Serving clients in Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Wynnewood, Narberth, Radnor, Lower Merion, Haverford, Havertown, Villanova, Swarthmore, Devon, Berwyn, Malvern, Bala Cynwyd, and more.