As a psychologist, I am often asked what the difference is between empathy and sympathy.
Empathy and sympathy are both emotional responses to someone else's feelings, but they differ in how they are experienced and expressed.
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It involves putting yourself in someone else's shoes and truly feeling what they are going through. Empathy allows you to connect with the other person's emotions, offering support in a way that is understanding and nonjudgmental. For example, if a friend is grieving, you might feel their sadness and express your support by saying, "I can't imagine how hard this must be for you, but I'm here for you." In my private practice, I try my best to empathize with clients and validate their feelings.
Sympathy, on the other hand, is feeling pity or sorrow for someone else's misfortune, but without necessarily sharing their emotional experience. It's more of an external response, where you recognize the other person's pain but may not fully understand or feel it yourself. For example, if you express sympathy to a grieving friend, you might say, "I'm so sorry for your loss," but you don't necessarily share in their sorrow on a deep emotional level.
