Empathy

Rogers 1961 describes empathy as the counselors ability to enter the client’s phenomenal world, to experience the client’s world as if it ware-your own without ever losing the as if quality.
According to Welfel & Patterson 2005, Empathy involves two specific skills: perception and communication.
An effective counselor perceives the cultural frame of reference from which his or her client operates; including the client’s including the client’s perceptual and cognitive process (Weinrach 1987).

Types of empathy

Culturally sensitive empathy:
This type of sensitivity, if it bridges the cultural gap between the counselor and client, is known as culturally sensitive empathy and is a quality counselors may cultivate.

Primary empathy:
Primary empathy is the ability to respond in such a way that it is apparent to both client and counselor that the counselor has understood the clients major themes.

Advanced empathy:
Advanced empathy is a process of helping a client explore themes, issues and emotions new to his or her awareness.