Empathy Takes Action (1990)

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Written by an autistic therapist, this clear and urgent case for rethinking how we relate to one another upends popular notions of empathy and teaches us how we can all build deeper, more authentic connections Mainstream psychology has long accepted that some people (like those with autism) are naturally more logical and unemotional, while others (like so-called empaths) intuitively experience the feelings of those around them as deeply as their own. But this is wrong. Aimee Cliff, an autistic psychotherapist who empathizes for a living, knows this firsthand. We are all are capable of empathy, because empathy is something you do, not something you are—meaning you can get better at it if you choose to practice. Drawing on scientific research, clinical experience, and interviews with neurodivergent people, Cliff examines how empathy works in the brain and body and lays out the five pillars of true empathy: Empathy is humble, empathy is