Lesson 6
Blocks to Empathy

LESSON 6 OUTLINE

  1. PREPARATION


  2. START LESSON: Welcome

  3. Check-in

  4. Q and A

  5. Presentation

  6. Empathy Circle - Exercises

  7. Full Group Debrief (30 min)

      1. Share Insights and Learnings from Exercises

      2. Review What We Did in Todays Lesson

      3. Give Assignments

        1. Session Feedback Form and Evaluation

        2. Empathy Buddy Call

        3. Reading assignments.

      4. etc.




Development Notes (notes for developing this lesson)

    • A good way to help define empathy is to say what empathy is not. These are the blocks to empathy.

    • Explore the Blocks to Empathy - Review a list of the blocks

    • Role play each of the blocks. record them and can use the role plays in a training video to model how the blocks work.

    • Have Read the the Blocks to Listening.

    • Blocks to Review in Lesson 3. what are the most common blocks. (these can also be the challenges in the facilitator training.)

        1. Judgement

        2. Sympathy

        3. Personal Distress / anxiety



LESSON OUTLINE: Blocks To Empathy

  • PREPARATION

  • START LESSON: Welcome

  • Check-in

  • Q and A

  • Presentation

  • Empathy Circle - Exercises
    in the circle of 4, the Speaker talks and the Active Listener role play a block to empathy.

    • Role Play the Block (List if Blocks): [Block Template]

      1. About the Block - Facilitator gives as short description of the block.

      2. Sample Empathy Circle

      3. Speaker -- shares for a minute.

      4. Active Listener -- response with one of the blocks

      5. Comparison to Empathy

        1. Other Silent Listener becomes Active Listener - give good reflection

      6. Discuss the Experience.

        1. Do 2 rounds to hear from everyone.

        2. How did the block feel?

        3. How did the block feel different from empathy?

    • Role Play the Block: Apathy

      1. About the Block of: Apathy

      2. Speaker -- shares for a minute.

      3. Active Listener -- response with apathy.

        1. perhaps a yawn,

        2. not paying attention,

        3. look around the room

      4. Comparison to Empathy:

        1. Other Active Listener - give good reflection

      5. Discuss the experience.

    • Role Play the Block: Sympathy

      1. About the Block of: Sympathy

      2. Speaker -- shares for a minute.

      3. Active Listener -- response with Sympathy

      4. Comparison to empathy:

        1. Other Active Listener - give good reflection

      5. Discuss the experience.

    • Role Play the Block: Judging.

      1. About the Block of: Judging

      2. Speaker -- shares for a minute.

      3. Active Listener -- response with Judgement

      4. Discuss the experience.

    • Role Play the Block: Identification

      1. About the Block of: Identification

      2. Discuss the experience.


    • Role Play the Block: Analysis

      1. Discuss the experience.

    • Role Play the Block: Advising

      1. Discuss the experience.

  • Full Group Debrief (30 min)