By: Kelsey Wooten, LPC
Have you ever heard someone say “try putting yourself in their shoes” when trying to understand how someone is feeling or why they did something? They are referring to empathy.
What is empathy?
The definition from oxford dictionary is “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.” Meaning you are able to interpret how they are feeling by their words and body language and then understand it within yourself to deepen your connection.
Empathy is a skill that can be taught and strengthened by having conversations with others’ about deeper topics, researching interpersonal communication, and reading.
How does reading help with empathy?
Reading allows us to see what that character is thinking and feeling throughout the story. We experience their emotions right along with them. Depending on what you read, books allow us to hear voices that aren’t the same as ours. We get the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of an issue than we had before. I encourage you to challenge yourself.
Other benefits of reading
- Whether it’s an audio book, an e-book, or a physical paper copy, reading provides us an opportunity to learn new information or skills.
- It can also be a wonderful way to cope with life’s stressors.
- Fan-fiction, book popularity, or book to movie allows us to connect with others who enjoy the same thing
- Reading allows our creativity to grow
For kids: - Being read to connects a child to the parent / caregiver
- Improves concentration
- Builds language skills
- Helps brain development
- Builds empathy and other social skills