Empathy the ability to understand another person’s thoughts and feelings in a situation from their point of view, rather than your own. It differs from sympathy, where one is affected by the thoughts and feelings of another but maintains an emotional distance. This short illustrated video from Brené Brown helps to illustrate the difference.
Dr. Brown explains that sympathy is to see someone in a deep hole while remaining on higher ground and talking to them above. The sympathetic person might also try to put a silver lining around things instead of acknowledging the person’s pain. Conversely, empathy is feeling with the person: climbing down the hole to sit beside them, and making yourself vulnerable to sincerely connect with them. The empathetic person will recognize the person’s struggle without minimizing it.
For more from Brené Brown, check out her TED talk on the Power of Vulnerability.