357: 5 Steps to Empathy with Rob Volpe
The Adult Chair Podcast with Michelle Chalfant
Michelle Chalfant
4.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 9 March 2023
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
We've all felt it: the extra tense political discussions, the harsh climate on social media and the overall division between people. It often feels like half the planet is living in a different world and we just can't seem to understand each other.
This isn't just in our heads. Studies show that empathy has declined 40% since 1979, and today, one third of people say they can't easily see the point of view of somebody else.
We have to learn how to listen, hear and respect each other again.
The good news is that we can all learn empathy!
My guest today, Rob Volpe, has mastered the art of empathy both in his personal relationships and through his work in market research. Since his job is all about listening to people and creating connections, he's learned to identify the specific attitudes and behaviors that help people hear each other and feel heard – and he's here today to empower us with five simple steps to building more empathy in our life and world!
Listen to discover:
● What empathy actually is
● The wonderful things empathy can fuel in our lives
● The difference between emotional empathy and cognitive empathy
● What to do if you have a partner who doesn't have a lot of empathy
● The difference between empathy and agreement
● Shocking stats about the decline in empathy
● The factors driving our current empathy crisis
● 5 steps to build more empathy today
Empathy is something we talk a lot about but have trouble defining and practicing. We also tend to think it's a quality someone either has or doesn't – when in reality, we are all capable of empathy, and we all need to consistently practice our empathy skills.
You don't have to naturally feel the emotions of others to be empathetic. By setting aside our judgments, asking good questions and listening with curiosity, we can stop talking past each other and learn how to really love each other, even when we disagree!
"Empathy as it's defined is about connecting with other people on either an emotional or a cognitive level to understand the lived experience of somebody else as if you were them." - Rob Volpe
"Empathy is needed for healthy relationships." - Michelle Chalfant
"We just want to be seen, heard and know that we're enough." - Rob Volpe
"It's not about agreeing. It's about witnessing and really seeing and hearing them." - Michelle Chalfant
"One third of adults could not easily see the point of view of other people." - Rob Volpe
"We're living what I call 'chin up'...and when we're chin up and living in the head space, we're ready to defend. We're not listening." - Michelle Chalfant
"We just need to take the time to listen to one another and hear what the other person is saying and not be so defensive." - Rob Volpe
LINKS & RESOURCES
Rob Volpe Website
https://www.5stepstoempathy.com/
"Tell Me More About That" (Rob Volpe book)
https://www.amazon.com/Tell-More-About-That-Conversation/dp/1774580896
Rob Volpe Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/empathy_activist/
Rob Volpe TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@empathyactivist
The Self-Worth Meditation Bundle
https://theadultchair.com/worthy
MORE ADULT CHAIR
The Adult Chair® Website
The Adult Chair® Events
https://theadultchair.com/events/
The Adult Chair® Coaching Certification
https://theadultchair.com/certification
STAY CONNECTED
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themichellechalfant
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMichelleChalfant/
The Adult Chair® Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theadultchair/
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hi, I'm Michelle Shelfand, psychotherapist, holistic life coach, and human just like you, |
| 0:09.4 | learning to navigate life challenges. |
| 0:11.8 | With over 25 years experience, I teach people how to get healthy using the adult chair model. |
| 0:17.6 | The adult chair model is where simple psychology meets grounded spirituality, and it teaches |
| 0:23.0 | us how to become healthy adults. |
| 0:26.2 | From anxiety and depression to codependency and relationship issues, you can use the |
| 0:30.5 | adult chair for just about anything. |
| 0:33.8 | Each week, I share practical tips, tools and advice from myself and a wide range of experts |
| 0:40.0 | on how to get unstuck, how to live authentically, and how to truly love yourself, all while |
| 0:45.8 | sitting in your adult chair. |
| 0:48.8 | Welcome to the adult chair podcast. |
| 0:54.5 | Hello, everybody, and welcome to the adult chair podcast. |
| 0:58.7 | I am Michelle Shelfand, happy to be here with you today talking about empathy with Mr. |
| 1:08.8 | Rob Volpe. |
| 1:10.1 | I love the topic of empathy. |
| 1:13.4 | Boy, Rob is an empathy master. |
| 1:16.8 | He has studied it for years and years and years. |
| 1:21.3 | He had an awakening, I'm going to call it that. |
| 1:23.6 | He didn't call it that, but I want to call it that, to empathy in fifth grade. |
| 1:28.1 | Yeah, so he talks about his life story and how he became someone that wanted to learn |
| 1:33.1 | more about empathy, not just for himself, but now he's doing it in corporations and for |
| 1:39.1 | the world. |
... |
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