Feb. 3, 2022

Obsessed With Empathy ft. Kevin Henry (The Brené Brown Inspired Series)

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Show Notes

What is empathy?

Brené Brown, author of Atlas of the Heart (a book we are obsessed with), defines empathy as:

A skill set that is one of the most powerful tools of compassion.

Empathy and compassion are related but distinct concepts since both involve understanding another person's situation. The concept of empathy is rooted in identifying, relating, and being present to another person's feelings. It does not necessarily mean you feel the same thing that the other person is feeling.

In this episode, Kevin Henry joins us in exploring and understanding all facets of empathy. For Kevin, people fear the feeling of empathy since it makes us more vulnerable and makes us remember specific occurrences in the past.

He also gives tips regarding opening ourselves to other perspectives, allowing us to feel empathy fully. Kevin pointed out that disallowing ourselves in doing this opens the door to more fear, anxiety, and nonacceptance towards other people.

Kevin is changing the narrative of how people navigate their lives with his 30 years of experience in Program Management, Diversity-Equity-Inclusion education, journalism, training, writing, acting fields, public speaking, and as the host of All The Way Authentic podcast.

What You Will Learn From This Episode

02:27 - What Kevin Henry is obsessed with

02:41 - Working on your empathy tools

05:33 - Applying empathy in professional relationships

09:14 - Learning how to listen better

11:32 - Embracing diversity and inclusion

15:17 - Upbringing as an influence on one’s ability to listen and understand

17:44 - Different degrees of empathy based on one’s profession

22:48 - Treating everybody as an individual

28:45 - Being open to other perspectives

30:48 - Kevin’s final message and tips

Resources Mentioned