The role of empathy in therapeutic alliance across different cultures

WLSA Shanghai Academy, Shanghai, China

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Nowadays, people are getting depressed, and they want other people to understand them. Hence, empathy is important whether they want to see the psychological counselor or want their friends and family to help them. Empathy can help therapist build trust and understanding with their clients. However, how empathy is expressed and received is different across diverse countries and cultures. This paper explores how empathy functions in therapeutic settings when clients and therapists come from different cultural backgrounds. It will also discuss some theories, such as Carl Rogers’s person-centered therapy. In addition, from the feminist perspective, the paper wants to show that empathy is not a feeling but is also a skill. Moreover, empirical studies show that when therapists show cultural empathy. This means that they understand and are sensitive to their client’s cultural values and experiences. Furthermore, it used two case studies to illustrate cultural differences.