The Empathy Effect, by Helen Riess ~ Book Picks
Empathy has always been a secret strength of the healer’s art. In The Empathy Effect Dr. Helen Riess, a compassionate physician herself, updates this ancient tool, making it a practical and accessible skill for anyone in the healing professions–and everyone else, too.
Daniel Goleman, New York Timesbestselling author of Emotional Intelligence
This wonderful exploration of a vital topic coming from a world-class scientist reads like a page-turning novel, with heart-touching stories, fascinating research, and tons of practical takeaways. At a time when the fabric of human society seems to be fraying, this book offers hope and help for individuals, couples, families, organizations, and communities to mend it together.
Rick Hanson, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Resilient, Buddha’s Brain, and Hardwiring Happiness
Because we are all fundamentally connected in a vast web of beings and forces, there is no use pretending that we can stick to our "tribe" and ignore the things we don't want to see. We are all on this planet together, and it is our responsibility to use our time wisely, to respect each other and help each other.With The Empathy Effect:Seven Neuroscience-Based Keys for Transforming the Way We Live, Love, Work, and Connect Across Differences, Dr. Helen Riess presents science-based practices to enhance empathic behavior; recognize and reverse scapegoating tactics; practice empathy at work, home, and in everyday settings; discover ways to build empathy in groups and leadership positions; and more.She has drawn on her medical training and research on human development to create a seven-step system for understanding and increasing empathy. She explains how empathy works—a comprehensive synthesis emerging from neuroscience, sociology, developmental psychology, and evolutionary theory.Dr. Riess provides tools for recognizing and promoting empathic behavior in yourself and others, as well as guidance for parenting and teaching empathy in kids. She explores the roles of empathy and technology, in art and literature, in politics and leadership, and the importance of self-compassion in affecting every other relationship in your life.
Dr. Helen Riess is Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Empathy and Relational Science Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.The mission of the Program is to enhance empathy and interpersonal relationships in healthcare. She is also Chief Technology Officer of Empathetics which offers scientifically based empathy training proven to optimize interpersonal engagement.Helen is a coauthor of the study, Empathy Training for Resident Physicians. The study concluded; "A brief intervention grounded in the neurobiology of empathy significantly improved the physician empathy as rated by patients, suggesting that the quality of care in medicine could be improved by integrating the neuroscience of empathy into the medical education."
