Module Introduction
The capacity to “feel with” and share others’ emotions can be a beautiful gift that connects us with each other. Yet it can also feel heart-wrenching and even unbearable at times. Teachers everywhere have students in their classes who experience unbelievable challenges in their lives—and acting compassionately towards them would be a normal response. But sometimes the emotional toll of seeing so much suffering on a daily basis can lead to educator burnout.
There are tools at our disposal to help us navigate the difficult emotions we can experience when we face others’ suffering so that we can emerge with a greater capacity to be present and helpful to our students and colleagues.
In this lesson we will…
- Describe “empathic distress,” (a downside of empathy)—and the effects of “emotional contagion”
- Identify two pathways of empathy in the brain—one healthy and one not so healthy
- Outline five practical strategies for addressing empathic distress so that we can extend compassion to others from a position of inner strength
- Experience a compassion practice
Module Resources
This toolkit includes additional resources, including classroom lessons and practices, staff meeting activities, videos, podcasts, articles, and professional learning opportunities, as well as supporting materials for group facilitation on the topic of "Caring for Ourselves: The Science of Emotional Resilience".
Individual Exploration
Review the videos and reflective practice exercise to explore how to be compassionate without suffering so much.
Learning about Empathic Distress
Review the following video resources (narrated by Amy L. Eva, PhD, Associate Education Director, Greater Good Science Center):
Exploring Empathic Distress versus Empathic Concern
Strategies for Addressing Empathic Distress
Try a Practice: Breathing Compassion In and Out
Reflection
- Are you sensitive to “emotional contagion” (the tendency to automatically adopt the emotional state of another person)? How do you know?
- What were the five strategies for addressing empathetic distress presented in the video?
- What strategies would support you in present-moment awareness to neutral, present awareness when you realize you are in a state of empathic distress?
1.4 Take It Deeper: Understanding Empathetic Distress
Let’s try addressing empathetic distress. Here is a downloadable guide to help you reflect on a time when it was difficult for you to be with a suffering colleague, student, friend, or family member.
Module Resources
An activity to help you reflect on a time when it was difficult for you to be with a suffering colleague, student, friend, or family member.
This toolkit includes additional resources, including classroom lessons and practices, staff meeting activities, videos, podcasts, articles, and professional learning opportunities, as well as supporting materials for group facilitation on the topic of "Caring for Ourselves: The Science of Emotional Resilience".
Group Facilitation
Before facilitating groups, spend time in individual exploration in order to experience and embody the learning. And if you haven’t yet explored our introduction to SEL in California, make sure you explore those resources, too.
When facilitating groups, use the following resources:
This toolkit includes additional resources, including classroom lessons and practices, staff meeting activities, videos, podcasts, articles, and professional learning opportunities, as well as supporting materials for group facilitation on the topic of "Caring for Ourselves: The Science of Emotional Resilience".
A revisable, turnkey powerpoint slide deck to use for professional learning sessions on the topic of "Caring for Ourselves: The Science of Emotional Resilience".
A powerpoint slide deck with welcoming and closing activities to include in professional learning sessions.
An activity to help you reflect on a time when it was difficult for you to be with a suffering colleague, student, friend, or family member.
Additional Modules
Caring for Ourselves: The Science of Emotional Resilience
Do you want to dive deeper into the science behind our GGIE practices? Enroll in one of our online courses for educators!
Comments