Empathy vs Sympathy

The words empathy and sympathy sound alike but have two very different meanings. Empathy means to be able to identify with or understand another's situation or feelings whereas sympathy means a feeling of pity or sorrow for another's distress. Sympathy shows pleasantry and agreement. Empathy; however, shows understanding without necessarily agreeing or changing your stance. Often times we confuse caring with feeling like we have to agree or change our stance. Using empathetic jargon allows you to show care or concern without changing your stance or point of view. Caring or understanding does not equate to agreeing. The four elements of empathy in the image are a good explanation of what empathy is. My book gives more information on how to effectively use empathetic jargon when having difficult conversations.