Empathic acknowledging--a blend of empathy, listening skills, and acknowledgments--sometimes affects the emotional intimacy of two people involved in a conversation. Before proceeding with the table of contents, here is some information which you may find useful at this point:

• There is a short version of this website on empathy and listening skills.
• I, Lawrence J. Bookbinder, Ph.D., wrote this website.
• I run a discussion board on the subject of this website.

Now to proceed with the table of contents. Note that the term "SHORT" at the end of a chapter description designates information presented in the short version of this website whereas "LONG" indicates material only in the long version--this website.

    Home Page Presents one of my conversations and explains why I created this website.     [LONG--conversation]

    Warning and Disclaimer. Alerts you to the negative aspects of reading this website. [SHORT]

    Introduction. Presents the goals and orientation of this website. [LONG]

1. Empathic Acknowledging. Explains this activity by presenting and discussing another one of my
    conversations. [SHORT]

2. Psychological Hug. Uses an anecdote to explain why a person sometimes experiences
    being empathically acknowledged as being hugged. [SHORT]

3. Benefits for the Talker. Presents the benefits for the person who is being empathically
    acknowledged. [LONG]

4. Benefits for the Acknowledger. Presents the benefits for the person who is using empathic
    acknowledging. [LONG]

5. Controlling the Urge to Help. Explains the importance of this skill and the attitude of "being
    present" with the person talking. [LONG]

6. Controlling the Urge to Talk. Explains the importance of this skill and suggests methods for
    improving it. [LONG]

7. Basic Skills. Uses an anecdote to present more information about skills. [LONG]

8. Explanation of Skills. Discusses the uniqueness of empathic acknowledging, the acknowl-
    edger's approval of the talker, and a perspective on acknowledging. [LONG]

9. Difficulties and Problems. Helps you weigh the rewards versus the risks of an investment in
    learning and using empathic acknowledging. [LONG--first two of three sections]

10. Essentials of Acknowledging. Explains the key activities of acknowledging words and
      acknowledging feelings. [LONG]

11. When to Acknowledge. Discusses when to acknowledge, when not to acknowledge, and
       reasons for unrewarding empathic acknowledging experiences. [LONG]

    Notes. Contains the five footnotes of this website on empathy, listening skills, and     acknowledgments. [LONG]

    Additional Reading. Gives a few suggestions for where to find more information about
    empathic acknowledging. [LONG]

    Appreciations. Names the people to whom this website is dedicated and thanks those who
    helped with it. [LONG]

    About the Author. Presents my qualifications for writing this website. [SHORT]

NOTE: Reading the table of contents above will help you understand the following links, which appear on every page of this website:

HOME

CONTENTS

WARNING

INTRODUCTION

1. EMP. ACK.

2. PSYCH. HUG

3. BENEFITS I

4. BENEFITS II

5. URGE TO HELP

6. URGE TO TALK

7. BASIC SKILLS

8. EXPLN. SKILLS

9. DIFFICULTIES

10. ESSNL. ACK.

11. WHEN ACK.

NOTES

ADDNL. READING

APPRECIATIONS

AUTHOR

If you liked this site, e-mailing me your thanks will reward me for creating it and help sustain my motivation to keep it going for future visitors.

My Other Websites on Empathy and Listening Skills

Empathy, Listening Skills, and Relationships is a short version of this website.

Listening Skills and Relationships is a discussion board which includes messages from me and my responses to messages from others. To read or post messages, you do not have to register. Visit the board to read questions and answers, ask or answer questions, share experiences, etc.

Empathy contains a description of a conversation with a United States Copyright Office representative during which I used empathy.

Listening Skills contains a description of listening to my wife talk about her grocery shopping trips.

Communication Skills illustrates my use of nonverbal "listening skills" during a conversation to assess whether the other person is receiving my message.

Listening Skills Professionals Listen Empathically -1 explains why I advocate that society establish the profession of empathic listener as a profession separate and independent from that of psychotherapist.

Empathy and Listening Skills illustrates the difference between understanding the information the other person is saying to you versus understanding the meaning to her of saying the information.

Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 by Lawrence J. Bookbinder, Ph.D. I also have a prostate cancer website.