Demonstrating Empathy in Challenging Situations

Chapter Six starts by introducing the following strategies that foster empathy

when caring for people who are difficult: choosing not to judge; imagining what it is

like to be the other person; listening to their story; understanding that acting out is often

a desperate cry for help; and taking a step back when conflict happens. The focus of the

discussion then moves to the topic of substance use. Impediments to substance use

recovery are identified as: the use of stigmatizing language, client self-shame, therapist

stigma, counsellor burnout and compassion fatigue. The following treatment modalities

that support recovery in people who use substances are explored: non-judgement and

acceptance; clinician empathy; teaching social skills and empathy to clients; and

meaning centered therapy (MCT). MCT is specifically recommended as an adjunct to

other current and relevant treatment modalities for substance use, because it is

evidence-based, person-centered, responsibility focused, and associated with positive

outcomes. It is established that the greatest factor in creating a positive outcome for any

client with substance use, regardless of theoretical premise is counsellor empathy. The

second portion of the Chapter illustrates effective ways to communicate care to people

who are seriously ill or dying. Three specific case studies of lived experiences are

presented. In the first narrative, a nursing instructor takes a time out to gather her

emotions after a startling incident. The second story concerns the importance of

offering palliative care when a cure is no longer an option. In the third case study, a

doctor shares a story of how a dying patient taught him some valuable lessons about

life. In the Case in Point, a nursing student learns to stop judging people with substance

use. An exercise in tolerance and acceptance is proposed, followed by an additional

teaching strategy on how to respond with empathy when faced with challenging

circumstances.

Keywords: Acceptance, Affective empathy, Brain disease model of addiction (BDMA), Burnout, Care, Cognitive empathy, Compassion, Compassion fatigue, Death, Dubstance use, Dubstance use disorder, Empathy, Existentialism, Meaning-Centered Therapy (MCT), Palliative care, Positive Psychology, Professional boundaries, Safety plan, Self-shame, Sickness, Stigma, Tolerance, Trust.

Cite as

CULTIVATING EMPATHY: Inspiring Health Professionals to Communicate More Effectively

Cultural Competence In Assessment And Intervention With Ethnic Minorities: Some Perspectives From Psychology and Social Work

Outcomes Assessment in End - Stage Kidney Disease - Measurements and Applications in Clinical Practice

The Ethic of Care: a moral compass for Canadian nursing practice

The Ethic of Care: A Moral Compass for Canadian Nursing Practice (Revised Edition)

Cultivating Empathy: Inspiring Health Professionals to Communicate More Effectively (Revised Edition)