The method of empathy has been long discussed since the early theorists and clinicians elaborated the import in psychoanalytic and psychotherapeutic literature. Noting the division in the literature on the role of empathy, it should be noted that the beginning Christian(pastoral) counselors might face substantial ambiguity as they endeavor to acquire the ability to empathize in the clinical context. Psychoanalytic understanding of empathy as interpretation may evoke a misunderstanding that empathy is a psychic function which utilizes to understand the unconscious experience of clients. The author proposes that the method of empathy consist in the mutual interactions between counselor and client in Christian(pastoral) counseling. Empathy is not a solo ability to make use of one s empathic ability to understand another person s needs and wants. It is a mutual process in which the counselor and client must fully participate. Together these two participants will gradually set up a more and more intricate network of emotional communion. Pastoral theology is a form of theological reflection in which pastoral experience serves as a context for the critical development of basic theological understanding. In this article, pastoral theological reflections are placed upon theological understanding of incarnation. It is suggested that the process of empathic understanding is reminiscent of Christian theology of incarnation. As Luther stated, God meets people in suffering and death. The cross is the meeting place between God and us. In this mutual understanding, the cross is the place where God experiences human suffering and the place where humans understand God s wounded heart. Empathizing God suffers in, and self-defines human suffering and death in the cross. Likewise, the clinical process of empathy is constructed in the theology of incarnation. Christian(pastoral) counselors utilize the theology of incarnation to suffer-in (empathize) the anguish of client s wounded hearts. The three-stages of empathic understanding are as follows: (1) suffering-in (2) self-definition of emotion (3) re-framing. The detailed process of this model is illustrated using case verbatim.
The method of empathy has been long discussed since the early theorists and clinicians elaborated the import in psychoanalytic and psychotherapeutic literature. Noting the division in the literature on the role of empathy, it should be noted that the beginning Christian(pastoral) counselors might face substantial ambiguity as they endeavor to acquire the ability to empathize in the clinical context. Psychoanalytic understanding of empathy as interpretation may evoke a misunderstanding that empathy is a psychic function which utilizes to understand the unconscious experience of clients. The author proposes that the method of empathy consist in the mutual interactions between counselor and client in Christian(pastoral) counseling. Empathy is not a solo ability to make use of one s empathic ability to understand another person s needs and wants. It is a mutual process in which the counselor and client must fully participate. Together these two participants will gradually set up a more and more intricate network of emotional communion. Pastoral theology is a form of theological reflection in which pastoral experience serves as a context for the critical development of basic theological understanding. In this article, pastoral theological reflections are placed upon theological understanding of incarnation. It is suggested that the process of empathic understanding is reminiscent of Christian theology of incarnation. As Luther stated, God meets people in suffering and death. The cross is the meeting place between God and us. In this mutual understanding, the cross is the place where God experiences human suffering and the place where humans understand God s wounded heart. Empathizing God suffers in, and self-defines human suffering and death in the cross. Likewise, the clinical process of empathy is constructed in the theology of incarnation. Christian(pastoral) counselors utilize the theology of incarnation to suffer-in (empathize) the anguish of client s wounded hearts. The three-stages of empathic understanding are as follows: (1) suffering-in (2) self-definition of emotion (3) re-framing. The detailed process of this model is illustrated using case verbatim.
I. 들어가는 말 II. (Empathy) 공감 에 대한 정신분석적 이해와 비판 III. 초기 상담에서 시작되는 공감: 내담자에 대한 감정적 이해 IV. 공감(empathy)에 대한 신학 : 성육신의 임상적 이해 V. 공감적 이해와 구별되어야 할 것 : 자기 노출, 일반화, 자의적 독심법 VI. 공감적 이해의 세 단계 VII. 나가는 말 참고문헌
