Acts of Empathy: Walking Beside the People You Love
Common Ground: We All Want to Feel Understood
Every one of us, whether in a queer partnership, a polycule, a friendship, with chosen family, or in community, longs for the same thing: to feel that someone gets us.
Here’s the thing: empathy isn’t about having all the answers, fixing problems, or even fully understanding what someone is going through. It’s about saying: “I might not know exactly what this feels like, but I believe you. I see you. I care enough to sit beside you in it.”
That’s the power of acts of empathy, they make the people we love feel less alone.
What Acts of Empathy Really Mean
Empathy is not the same as sympathy. Sympathy stands above, saying: “That must be hard.” Empathy sits next to, saying: “I’m with you.”
Acts of empathy can look like:
Asking, “Do you want advice or just to feel heard?”
Saying, “That sounds really hard. I’m here for you.”
Listening without judgment.
Acknowledging pain instead of minimising it.
Empathy is not:
Turning the story back to yourself (“That happened to me too!”).
Offering unsolicited advice.
Doubting or downplaying someone’s feelings.
Why It Matters in Relationships
Acts of empathy build emotional safety. When we know our loved ones will believe and validate our experiences, even when they can’t fully relate, we feel more secure opening up.
In practice, empathy:
Reduces loneliness and isolation.
Strengthens intimacy: romantic, platonic, or communal.
Builds resilience during hard times.
Teaches us that we don’t have to fix everything to show love.
When empathy is present, relationships feel like safe havens.
Couple/Partner Exercise: The Empathy Exchange
Take 20 minutes together. One person shares something that’s been weighing on them, big or small. The other person practices empathy by:
Listening quietly. No interruptions, no solutions.
Validating feelings. Say: “I hear you. That sounds really tough.”
Asking before advising. “Would you like me to help brainstorm, or just sit with you in this?”
Then switch roles.
Afterward, reflect together: How did it feel to be heard without interruption? What was it like to listen without fixing?
Practical Tools for Everyday Empathy
The Validation First Rule
Before giving advice, start with: “I can see this is really hard for you.”The Curiosity Question
Try: “Can you tell me more about how that feels for you?”The Empathy Pause
When someone shares something painful, resist the urge to jump in. Take a breath and focus on their words.Empathy in Action
Sometimes empathy is simply staying beside someone in silence, holding their hand, or sending a supportive message: “Thinking of you. I believe in you.”
Closing: Love That Listens With the Heart
Acts of empathy don’t require us to fully understand someone else’s experience. They simply ask us to believe, care, and sit alongside them with compassion.
It’s love in one of its purest forms: presence without pressure.
Try this today:
When someone in your life shares something, big or small, pause before responding. Ask: “Do you want me to listen, or do you want advice?” Then honor what they say.
A Gentle Invitation
At JKL Therapy Centre, we know that empathy is one of the most powerful bridges in any relationship. If you or your loved ones want to strengthen the way you connect, listen, and support each other through life’s challenges, we’re here to walk beside you.
Reach out to JKL Therapy Centre today: together, we can help you turn empathy into a daily practice of love, care, and connection.
