by  Georgia Kreiger

I would send my students out into the world, let me say, strengthened by empathy, to offer human connection as an alternative to the current tide of self-interest and isolation.

If we can nourish empathy through conscious effort, if we can cultivate it through practice, shouldn’t we?

If empathy can be taught, it should be. The survival of civilization may depend on it.

Research demonstrates that even if empathy – the capacity to perceive or share emotions with other beings – is not part of a person’s communication skill set, it can be taught. Empathy can, therefore be viewed as an acquired communication skill. Cultivating and practicing the skill of empathy among health care providers enhances the quality of care experienced by their patients which, in turn, can even improve work satisfaction for health care providers.

Many communication textbooks or manuals for care giving professions primarily focus on specific communication skills and techniques. Cultivating Empathy takes a different approach; the book sets empathy as the foundation of all therapeutic interactions and teaches the reader to learn the art of empathy by using constructive approaches and research findings from social sciences and neuroscience.

The high cost of the empathy deficit
There is a lot of enthusiasm about implementing AI, but often when business leaders see the price tag, the first things cut are the ‘soft stuff,’ like experience design and change management. It’s an understandable impulse. But it’s a costly one. It doesn’t matter how technically sophisticated your AI product is, if the design isn’t grounded in how people actually behave, businesses are playing roulette with a significant investment.

And that gamble has real consequences. The Empathy Deficit doesn’t just produce clunky products — it destroys customer experience and, left unchecked, ignites the kind of brand crises that no amount of technical excellence can undo.

I interviewed Jake Via, organizing director of the American Humanist Association, and discussed the American Empathy Project, which aims to distribute $100,000 in grants for empathy-building projects. The initiative emphasizes empathy as a core American value. 
See the link for how to apply.

The Empathy Tent team attended the 2026 California Democratic Party Convention in San Francisco, February 20 & 21 to promote the Movement.  (We attended the California Republican State Convention in the past.)   See the Full Report

It's touted that women are naturally empathetic, but science begs to differ

We still typically describe traits like empathy as naturally feminine and traits like dominance and assertiveness as masculine. Even when displaying the same behaviour, men are seen as assertive and women as aggressive.

One particularly notable trait that is often gendered in this way is empathy. Women supposedly are natural empaths while men who show more empathy are typically seen as weak.

But why is that? Is it true that women are naturally more empathetic than men, or are we socialised to be?

By Caroline Bologna
If asked to name examples of sins, most people would probably not mention “empathy.” But in recent years, attacks on empathy have moved from fringe talking points into mainstream right-wing Christian discourse.

Conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey released a book in 2024 titled “Toxic Empathy.” The following year brought the release of “The Sin of Empathy” by right-wing theologian Joe Rigney. Shortly thereafter, billionaire Elon Musk declared on Joe Rogan’s podcast that “the fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy.”

Emotional well-being has become a major factor affecting workplace performance, superseding talent and technology.

Across industries, leaders are witnessing a quiet and costly reality: Disengagement, burnout and silent attrition are increasing, even among high-performance teams. In my experience, the most effective responses do not pertain to introducing new productivity tools or even incentive schemes; instead, they involve empathy that is operationalized as a leadership skill, practiced mindfully and deliberately.

Rick Pidcock 
Ever since Joe Rigney released his book about empathy being a sin, the TheoBros of conservative evangelicalism have been piling into his bus, demonizing empathy for those they run over as “the greatest rhetorical tool of manipulation in the 21st century,” and as “the progressive gaze.”

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler recently climbed aboard the anti-empathy bus. It’s the latest example of Mohler’s flip-flopping.

In 2014, he said Christians should “lead with empathy.” But now Mohler claims: “I don’t think empathy is a thing. I don’t think it’s real. It is a substitute for real Christian morality.”

by  Melissa Hogenboom
Notably, we still typically describe traits like empathy as naturally feminine and traits like dominance and assertiveness as masculine. Even when displaying the same behaviour, men are seen as assertive and women as aggressive.

One particularly notable trait that is often gendered in this way is empathy. Women supposedly are natural empaths while men who show more empathy are typically seen as weak.

But why is that? Is it true that women are naturally more empathetic than men, or are we socialised to be?

The word empathy is frequently used when talking about improving legal workplace practices, environments, culture and leadership. However, what exactly does this mean? Why should lawyers be more empathetic? And how can we cultivate and develop empathy across the legal practice? This Practice Note introduces you to empathy in law and sets out concrete tips on how to develop empathy for yourself to become a more resilient and valuable legal professional.

Consider empathy. A recent Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) survey found that 8 in 10 Americans see empathy as essential to a healthy society. Only 16% called it a “dangerous emotion” that undermines “a society guided by God’s truth.”

In a nation that can barely agree on the weather, that’s striking. But just because we agree on a word doesn’t mean we agree on what it means.

Some conservative evangelical voices have declared a “war on empathy.” Allie Beth Stuckey, author of 2024’s “Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion,” argues that empathy has become a tool of manipulation in the hands of progressives. Joe Rigney, in his 2025 book “The Sin of Empathy: Compassion and Its Counterfeits,” warns that caring too much about others’ feelings can cloud our grasp of truth.

Imagine a world where everyone's go-to way of relating is empathy. The Gift of Empathy takes a fresh look at this important skill, examining what empath is and isn't, offering practical guidance for empathizing well, and showing how to respond with empathy in all kinds of situations and settings. With ready-to-use principles, this class will empower you to better understand, connect with and empathize with family, friends, coworkers, and others you may relate to.

We will be using the book, The Gift of Empathy, which is available at stephenministries.org.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn the valuable skill of empathy towards others!

by John Fea
Without empathy, our political opponents become stereotypes. Complex motivations get reduced to malice. In a diverse democracy, tolerating each other isn’t enough; we must try — however imperfectly — to imagine how our neighbors see the world. This is what makes empathy difficult. Stanford education professor Sam Wineburg called this kind of thinking an “unnatural act.”

Convictions without empathy too often harden into dogmatism. Sympathy without discernment becomes sentimentality. Empathy — the discipline of trying to understand before judging — helps steady both.

The PRRI survey suggests that most Americans still believe empathy is foundational to a healthy society. That shared intuition may be one of the last pieces of common moral language we possess.

 for today lets talk about the Empathy Movement’s visit to the California Democratic Convention.

This weekend the Empathy Center brought our message of mutual listening for greater understanding to the Democratic State Convention in San Francisco. Edwin Rutsch and Bill Filler were interviewed by John Ramos from KPIX TV. Jump the fold for some pictures and  a link to a short video, and the text of the key section on with the interview with Bill and Edwin.

Empathy is not a soft skill –

Explore feelings and ways to express them! Understanding themselves is an important piece of the building blocks that help children develop empathy as they grow. Empathy is the ability to imagine and understand the emotions of others, which helps children be kind and care about others.

by Lidewij Niezink , and Katherine Train 

Youth at risk need structured relational spaces that build belonging, safety, agency, and capability.

An empathic approach strengthens the benefits of support groups for youth in a complex, challenging world.

Empathic intervision reimagines support groups as environments where empathy is systematically cultivated.

The Role of Support Groups

Support groups are a vital response in this landscape. At their best, they offer structured relational spaces where young people can process experiences, build connections, and develop practical skills.

However, the effectiveness of support groups depends not only on bringing young people together, but on how those spaces are facilitated. This is where an empathic approach strengthens the benefits.

by @Paul Kuzmickas

Empathy every day 
In healthcare, we can use empathy to make a  positive, memorable impact on the lives of so  many. Here are three ways to apply this. 

Maintain awareness and perspective. Tomorrow’s  procedure could be the 100th one you perform —  or today’s presentation could be a monthly  occurrence in your schedule — but either could be  the first for your patient or colleague. 

Seeing each experience through the other’s eyes  and responding with compassion and  understanding is crucial to the way they’ll  remember each moment.