“**When we are thinking about people’s words and listening to how they connect to our theories, we are looking at people—we are not with them**. “**The key ingredient of empathy is presence**: we are wholly present with the other party and what they are experiencing. This quality of presence distinguishes empathy from either mental understanding or sympathy. While we may choose at times to sympathize with others by feeling their feelings, it’s helpful to be aware that during the moment we are offering sympathy, we are not empathizing.” --- **Tags** -- [[quotes]], [[empathy]], [[listening]], [[sympathy]], [[confirmation-bias]], [[crucial-conversations]], **Source** -- [[251115105628 - B - Nonviolent Communication]]