Empathy as the key

‘Empathy as the Key’ by Sabine Geiger and Sibylle Baumgartner is aimed at anyone who works with people professionally and who must constantly strike a balance between empathy, their professional role and their own self-protection: psychotherapists, counsellors, coaches, supervisors and professionals in the social and educational sectors. This is not an introduction to Non-Violent Communication, but rather an exploration of how it provides practical support in the day-to-day work of psychotherapy, counselling and social work.

The two editors tackle precisely the questions that actually arise in day-to-day practice: How do you deal with emotional overload? How do you conduct difficult conversations? How do you maintain personal boundaries, and how can you remain empathetic without losing sight of yourself in the process? The book includes practical case studies from therapeutic and counselling contexts, prompts for reflection on your own attitude and role, and resources for further study, including an e-book.

A word of warning: this is not a book for beginners, nor is it a quick-fix method to follow; rather, it is a specialist exploration of empathy as a professional skill. You’ll get the most out of it if you already have some prior experience with NVC or similar approaches.

Published by the Beltz Publishing Group, 300 pages.