LMo:

I would think that moderators, like you, speaking out is a very good thing. The rest of us can emphathize with doing that tough job. It is also an essential job. Otherwise, there would frequently be harsh criticism, meanness and/or people with their own bizarre message on the forums. I'm new here but I was on DocJohn's original forums, so I know. Thanks LMo for telling the administrator's perspective...and for doing it in a reasonable, congenial way.

Just one brief point: when I use the term Empathy Responding I mean a specific kind of therapeutic response frequently given by therapists but also a central feature of almost all good listeners. Many posters seem to use the term as though it means understanding, congenial and supportive responses. I notice that I give very few Empathy Responses on this forum, thus far, because I am usually trying to make an instructional point (like right now), not trying to help me to understand a person's emotions and reasons for their behavior.

I notice _Sky has recently described this wonderful communication technique on another thread but she didn't use the term of Empathy. That doesn't matter just so long as we understand each other's language.

drclay

Sometimes it is helpful to use a specific term or a therapeutic concept when trying to understand helping and self-helping. That is why I have referred people to my Chapter 13, page 8. It takes a few pages but Empathy is a rather precise concept...that anyone can use.