It's Mental Health Week and Day One of Empathy Week

Welcome to Mental Health Week. This year The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has deemed empathy as the theme of focus and Satuppada is here to share with Empathy Week.

After two years the pandemic has definitely weighed us down and affected us in a variety of different ways. The world had something frightening to deal with and we as the human collective suddenly found life to be stressful, emotionally exhausting and for some of us, a mountain that was getting harder and harder to climb. Learning about and practicing empty became just one but a foundational way of supporting each other.

Just what is empathy? It is wonderfully human. Having empathy is simply understanding and sometimes sharing another's emotion and being able to respond with care and compassion. This will look different for each person and each situation, but it really is putting yourself in someone else's shoes - something that is a core human trait and one that strengthens every connection in our lives.

So many people struggle with empathy, thinking it's really something restricted to healthcare practitioners, or something they don't feel they inherently have. Well, if the thought ever crossed your mind you're in luck. Research has consistently shown that empathy can be learned and successfully developed and expanded over time.

One vital component of empathy is active listening and active observation. Hearing what someone says is something everyone with a functional pair of ears can do, however those looking to wear and grow their cloak of empathy really engage their five senses in that process of hearing. They hear the words being said, they "see" the words (being able to visualize the situation), they "smell" the words, they "taste" the words and they truly "feel" the words. With all of this information being taken in, you layer in the act of actively observing how the words being spoken affect the speaker and how they affect you.

Now you may think it is rather odd to see someone's words, but rest assured this will be one of five posts Satuppada will be sharing as our way to support Mental Health Week and all things empathy.

Share your stories, thoughts and feels and tag the CMHA using the hashtag GetReal. Join us and we can all get real and show the world what empathy really is.

#mindful #satuppada #GetReal #CMHA #empthy #mentalhealthweek