ABSTRACT
Operating on the human heart requires a degree of detachment and imperturbability. Empathy is an integral part of the trust-building process. It is at the core of our interconnectedness and is key to building a safe and secure holding environment. It is the healing agent. The first step towards cultivating an empathic approach is to consider others as equal to ourselves while accepting that their realities might be different from ours. This chapter presents a case study that illustrates the difficulties of allowing ourselves to be vulnerably seen while on the receiving end of challenging behaviour. It also highlights the crucial importance of honest communication and emphasises that empathy has more to do with emotional knowing of another human being than intellectual understanding. The chapter provides a simple yet effective strategy to help us stay grounded and provide adolescents with responses healthier than the ones they are accustomed to.
