Empathy. Interpersonal connection and understanding

Empathy is a character strength and a fundamental human ability that consists of emotionally putting oneself in the other person's shoes, trying to see things from their perspective and, as far as possible, feeling what the other person is feeling.

This skill is crucial for establishing deep and meaningful relationships.

Neurobiological Basis of Empathy

The capacity for empathy has a neurobiological basis. In the brain there are so-called "mirror neurons", which are activated both when we perform an action and when we observe another person performing it.

This neural mechanism allows us, to some degree, to "feel" or internally simulate the experiences of others, which facilitates understanding and emotional connection.

This system is fundamental to our ability to be compassionate and help each other.

Relation to Assertiveness and Emotional Intelligence

Empathy is closely related to other important social skills such as assertiveness and emotional intelligence.

To be truly empathetic, we need to be able to express our own needs and opinions in a respectful manner (assertiveness) and to manage our own emotions and understand those of others (emotional intelligence).

Before defending one's own criteria or discussing a right, it is essential to first understand the other person's perspective and emotions, and this require