Empathy: Heartfelt Listening – Sheila Haugh

Session 2: Empathy: Heartfelt Listening

In this second session we turn our attention to empathy—what it truly is and, just as importantly, what it is not. Together we will explore how empathy can be mistaken for merely “thinking about” a client rather than genuinely “being with” them, and we will tease apart the distinctions between empathic following responses and reflections of feeling. We will also ask whether empathy begins and ends with emotions (spoiler: it doesn’t), and we will experiment with practical ways to strengthen both our empathic stance and our capacity to hear the other.

Learning Outcomes:

1. To develop a clear understanding of the difference between empathic responses and reflective responses.
2. To appreciate that empathy reaches beyond feelings alone.
3. To gather concrete ideas for nurturing and deepening one’s own empathic processes.

It might offer participants the insight and practical tools needed to meet Rogers’ fifth condition for effective therapeutic process.

For people training in, or interested in, the person-centred approach—from early-career therapists to those of us a bit longer in the tooth.

Person‑Centred Theory & Practice: 12‑Month Masterclass Series

Join us for a purposeful, year‑long exploration of the ideas that animate Carl Rogers’ person‑centred approach. Across eight live, highly interactive workshops—spaced monthly from June 2025 to January 2026—renowned trainer Sheila Haugh will guide you from foundational principles to leading‑edge debates. The programme blends concise theory input, reflective dialogue and live skills practice, supporting you to work with the confidence that “the client knows best.”

Together we will explore…

1. Why Trust the Client? Formative, Actualising & Self‑Actualising Tendencies
2. Empathy: Heartfelt Listening
3. Positive Regard: Is Love the Curative Element?
4. A Pyramid or an Iceberg? Authenticity & Congruence
5. Psychological Contact: Are We in this Together?
6. Client Perception: Essential Person‑centred Communication Skills
7. Relational Depth: An Emergent Dynamic?
8. Configurations of Self: Exploring Our Plural “Me‑s” in Practice

Secure your place and invest in a year of focused professional growth—building a richer, more responsive person‑centred practice one month at a time.

RECORDING

This event will be recorded and you can use the ticket function to pre-purchase the recording before the event. This will be useful for colleagues who are not able to attend the event live and also for those who attend the event live and want to watch it again.

ZOOM

This event will be hosted on the Zoom meeting platform where we will use our cameras and microphones to interact with each other as a group.

SELF-SELECT FEE

The self-select fee is a radical inclusion policy to open learning for all colleagues. The guide price for this event is £20.00, however, we appreciate that income varies greatly in different locations and circumstances. Please contribute what you can to help us maintain inclusive professional training.

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At Onlinevents, we and the presenters we collaborate with are committed to working in a way that aligns with the ethical codes and frameworks of our respective professional organisations. We expect all colleagues attending our events to uphold the ethical principles of their professional membership.

If you are not a member of a professional organisation, we ask that you participate in a way that is both authentic and respectful, fostering a space of mutual learning and professional engagement.

By registering for this event, you agree to be present and interact in a manner that reflects these principles.

Sheila Haugh

Sheila is a person-centred therapist, facilitator, and consultant/supervisor. Until recently, she was the Director of Studies and Course Leader for the MSc Contemporary Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Applications at the Metanoia Institute in London. She is a former convenor of BAPCA and a former member of the board of WAPCECP. Sheila works in the UK and in Czechia, where she has lived for the past 15 years. She is co-editor of two books and author of a number of chapters, the most recent being:

Bozarth, J. D., & Haugh, S. (2024). Unconditional Positive Regard. In M. Cooper, G. di Malta, M. M. O’Hara, Y. Gololob, & S. Stephen (Eds.), The Handbook of Person-Centred Psychotherapy and Counselling (3rd ed., pp. 200–211). Bloomsbury Academic.