The Empathetic Apology is a four-part process designed to help the offender take ownership of the offense, empathize with the offended, apologize for the offense, and then ask for forgiveness.
As the name implies, empathy statements are used to communicate empathy—they show the other person that you understand their feelings and are focused on their problem. An example of an empathy statement is: “I'm sorry you had to experience that, it must have been frustrating.”
"When using empathy in your practice, one of the first things that people want to do is apologize for everything. There's a difference between apologizing and being empathetic. When you're empathetic, if an incident occurs the first response is to say that you're sorry — to relate to your client.
For example, you likely smile and take the trouble to remember people's names: that's empathy in action. Giving people your full attention in meetings, being curious about their lives and interests, and offering constructive feedback are all empathic behaviors, too.
“I can't imagine what you must be going through.” “I wish I could make it better.” “My heart hurts for you.” “It makes me really sad to hear this happened.”
Perspective taking. Staying out of judgment. Recognizing emotion in another person. Communicating the understanding of another person's emotions.
Traits such as being sensitive, being attuned to someone's emotions, and being compassionate can be attributed to an empath. In our daily lives, we come across people who are good at understanding where we're coming from.
Empathy keeps us from discounting, dismissing, or even canceling others. These four practices — embracing not knowing, radical difference, commitment, and community — cultivate a respect for others.
I've been under a lot of pressure at work, but that's no excuse for my behavior. I love you and will try harder not to take my frustrations out on you.” Takes responsibility, explains but does not excuse why the mistake happened, expresses remorse and caring, and promises reparation.
A sincere apology should acknowledge the mistakes and try to show that you have learned from them. It can be as simple as saying, “I regret my decision” or “I apologize for my mistake”. It should not sound like an excuse or justify what you did wrong in any way.
She summarizes the facets of this program, “Seven Keys of E.M.P.A.T.H.Y. ® ,” using the word as an acronym for: Eye contact, Muscles of facial expression, Posture, Affect, Tone of voice, Hearing the whole person, and Your response.
Try to rephrase what you think the speaker is saying to show comprehension. For example, “What I am understanding is that you feel…” You won't be abandoning your own opinions but still respecting the experience of your partner.
Emotion researchers generally define empathy as the ability to sense other people's emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling.
Hyper-empathy syndrome occurs when you are too in tune with other people's emotions and mirror them to the same intensity. In other words, you care too much. People with hyper-empathy may find it hard to regulate their emotions and may have a tendency to pick up on negative feelings.
1. Expression of apology (Sorry. / I'm sorry. / I'm very sorry. / I'm really sorry about that.) 2. Acknowledgment of responsibility (That's definitely on me. / That's my mistake. / You're right. / It's totally my fault.)
What blocks empathy? Apathy blocks empathy, because empathy requires curiosity. If we don't care how others feel or are close-minded, we won't make the effort to understand. Apathy leaves us emotionally disconnected from others, which is bad for us.