A SHORT COURSE

IN RESPECTFUL

CONVERSATION

By Daniel Keeran, MSW, President,

College of Mental Health Counselling

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A Short Course in Respectful Conversation For the Certificate of Knowledge and Skills in Respectful Conversation

By Daniel Keeran, MSW, President, College of Mental Health Counselling

www.collegemhc.com

Knowledge and skills in respectful conversation are essential for healthy personal relationships between

two people and in groups, families, and organizations. The course content is useful also for group leaders,

counselors, and others wanting to facilitate the healthy experience of inclusive community and of life

together. The reader or student is invited to complete assignments to receive the Certificate of Knowledge

and Skills in Respectful Conversation.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

The foundation of healthy relationships is based upon the following principles or beliefs:

1. Every human being has equal worth and dignity.

2. Everyone is entitled to his or her feelings and views.

3. Everyone deserves to be treated with the highest regard and importance.

Conflict occurs when the above principles are ignored. If respect for others is maintained, conflict can be

managed in healthy ways.

UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT

Conflict is something that can't be avoided no matter how hard we try. It's inevitable because people are

individuals with different views, feelings, experiences, and ways of perceiving things. And so the object is not

to eliminate conflict, but to try to work with conflict so that it has a positive outcome, such as bringing people

closer or creating new ideas and new possibilities.

People often find conflict to present major challenges. Those challenges are a major part of the life patterns

that often come from a dysfunctional family of origin: from significant unresolved conflict in the parental

relationships or from significant unresolved losses. One may be overly passive or overly aggressive, or a

combination of those behaviours. Ways of relating are often unintentional unconscious compulsions and often

involve not knowing healthy alternatives to reacting out of emotion or habit.

PRINCIPLES OF INCLUSIVE RESPECTFUL CONVERSATION

The first principle of inclusive respectful conversation is that no one has complete understanding of intangible

truths fundamental to human existence and the meaning of life.

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The second principle is to extend trust to others, believing that the overwhelming majority of human beings

sincerely want to believe and do what is right and true.

The third principle is that integration and inclusiveness can best be achieved within a framework of respectful

conversation in which all views are enthusiastically welcomed.

The fourth principle is that inclusiveness must be based upon mutual understanding rather than agreement.

We can be together in conversation when we accept the above principles and are committed to

understanding others points of view even if we remain in disagreement on basic philosophies or worldviews.

PARADIGM FOR INCLUSIVITY

The paradigm of inclusive conversation is the shared value and goal of mutual understanding rather than

agreement.

BENEFITS OF THE PROCESS

The process of working toward inclusive conversation is a worthwhile end in itself because of the following

benefits:

1. Bringing people together from different philosophies and worldviews.

2. Stimulating meaningful discussion.

3. Encouraging respectful conversation in all relationships.

4. Fostering acceptance of the sincerity of others in their life journey.

5. Attracting others to the inclusive conversation message.

6. Providing personal face-to-face interaction and connection as a balance to internet social media.

DISCUSSION GUIDELINES FOR RESPECTFUL CONVERSATION

1. No dominating. Keep comments brief. Over-talking can be interpreted as aggression or a need to control

and dominate others.

2. No name-calling, negative innuendo, sarcastic put-down’s or threats of any kind.

3. Before responding to passionate views, try sincerely reflecting others views with whom you disagree.

4. Keep your voice volume normal and avoid shouting, yelling, pointing, or pounding your fist.

5. Ask others what they are saying rather than tell them what they are saying. Don’t put words in others

mouths.

6. Avoid directing anger toward others, especially those with whom you disagree.

Be consciously aware of five communication styles: passive, assertive, aggressive, passively aggressive, and

destructive.

PASSIVE STYLE

The passive style tries to avoid a conflict. He is very agreeable. A sense of what he feels is subtle, and you or he

may not really know what he feels. He is almost a non-person. You find it difficult to really get to know him. He

may be a doormat. He may be agreeable or apologize prematurely. He'll avoid conflict at all cost. He keeps

things nice. He won't express his own true feelings. He'll have a "nice" front with a capital N-I-C-E etched on

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his forehead. He may not be able to make eye contact very well. His body language will be demonstrated by

maybe slouching in the seat, not being able to sit up straight and look others in the eye.

The person who has a passive style is behaving as if he doesn't believe that he has equal worth to others. He

behaves as if he's not entitled to his own feelings and views and isn't entitled to be treated with respect. If

you call him names or put him down, he won't stand up for his right to be treated with respect. He may just

put his head down, or tuck his tail between his legs, so to speak. He may even agree with the person who

labels him, or calls him names. He may also put himself down and call himself stupid.

AGGRESSIVE STYLE

The aggressive style may be defined as pushy, loud, dominating, and inconsiderate. He wants what he wants,

and he may even order you to get it for him or do it for him. He may be obnoxious in a demanding, ordering

way.

So he may accuse and blame other people, pointing the finger. The aggressive individual behaves as if he alone

has worth, and you don't. He behaves as if he alone is to be treated with respect, but he'll treat you with

disrespect. He'll behave as if only he is entitled to his feelings and views; only he is entitled to be treated

with respect. So he'll dominate the time. He'll interrupt you if you are talking, or he just won't leave you any

space for your point of view. He'll insist that he's right and you're wrong.

Deep down inside the aggressive individual is very insecure and afraid, and has low self-worth. He has very low

ego strength. If he had a stronger sense of himself, he wouldn't have to be so pushy.

Aggressive behaviour is often protecting a weak sense of self, a weak ego. The bully is a classic example.

PASSIVELY-AGGRESSIVE STYLE

A variation on aggressive style is passively aggressive style, which is demonstrated by the indirect or passive

expression of hostility. When protesters lie down in front of whatever they're protesting, or refuse to move,

this is passive aggression. Passive resistance is passive aggression. When I was in the army I was told to scrape

the wax off the floor and to strip the floor in the hallway. Well, I was in there against my choice. I was drafted,

and I was a conscientious objector, so when I was given that task, I deliberately worked on one square inch for

the whole day. I accepted the task, but not gladly. That was passive aggressive behaviour. I resented being

forced into the army and being given those tasks.

Deliberately burning the toast at breakfast is another example. Sabotaging, undermining, talking about people

behind their backs are all passive aggressive behaviours. So these people don't really speak their feelings

directly. They may use a punitive silence, or refuse to speak to somebody for a long period of time.

The “cold shoulder” is passive aggressive, as also is walking away from a person when he is talking, or yawning

in your face, or similar behaviour.

DESTRUCTIVE STYLE

Destructive style is characterized by hitting, throwing, name-calling, threats, yelling and screaming. It includes

any behaviour that is destructive of property, of self-esteem, of the sense of safety, or physically of a person's

body. Name-calling is a good example, and so is using judgmental terms to demean a person. Sarcastic put

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downs are destructive because they imply a label of stupidity, ignorance, or something similar: "Where were

you when they passed out the brains?"

This style generally results from a very dysfunctional home where there is physical or mental violence, sexual

abuse, lack of parental discipline and permissiveness. It may result from that style being exhibited or

demonstrated in the home. You may find all these styles prominently displayed in a dysfunctional home

except for assertive style.

ASSERTIVE STYLE

Assertive style is being able to be clear, direct, brief, and non-judgmental. The assertive individual behaves as

if he believes everyone is entitled to his feelings and views; everyone deserves respect; everyone has equal

worth. He believes: "You're entitled to your view, I'm entitled to my view," and therefore he is brief. He'll state

his case, but he'll want to know what your point is too; he'll give you equal time. He'll be clear about his

feelings. He'll use the first person "I" in making personal statements of his own feelings and views using feeling

words: "I feel annoyed," "I feel sad," "I feel afraid when you do this." And when he describes your behaviour

he's not going to use judgmental terms. He's just going to give a non-judgmental description of your

observable behaviour: "You don't take accurate phone messages..." not "You're so inconsiderate..."

ORIGINS OF COMMUNICATION STYLES

As we look at the development of these styles, we can see that some of the unhealthy behaviours, the

destructive style and others, are modeled on what was experienced in the family of origin and sometimes are

a reaction against experiences in the family of origin.

If in the family of origin there is physical violence, a person may decide that anger is no good because anger is

only destructive, so he'll develop a passive style to keep his anger in. But then he may have explosive

outbursts at times because if he keeps his anger in about things, the tension may build up to the point where

he can't take it any longer, and then he spews out name-calling, threats, or other destructive behaviours. And

then that only proves to him that anger is no good, so he stuffs it all again and goes through a cycle of

unhealthy suppression and aggression.

If a person grows up with two passive parents who don't externalize anger, and then he finds a partner who's

very aggressive, what is he going to do with that? What's that going to be like for him? He'll feel harassed and

lack a sense of control.

He won't know what to do with that because when he was growing up he didn't see anybody deal with conflict

in any constructive way. He didn't see his parents dealing with issues openly. He experienced them being

silent or avoiding conflict, and so he wouldn't have the skills or the ability to cope with strong anger directed

toward him.

In a home where avoidance and passivity were the norm and voices were never raised, he may want to leave

the room when anger is expressed openly. He may be very uncomfortable with that and go to great extremes

to avoid even being exposed to conflict as an observer. When growing up as a child, he got the clear message

that anger is no good.

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In a home of both passive and aggressive parents, one may be capable of both passive and aggressive styles.

One may be the doormat and sometimes the bully.

So as one relates to another person, one wants to try to understand the story behind the communication

style, to try to understand and gain insight into it, and then one wants to develop a broader repertoire of

styles and skills for communicating and dealing with conflict in healthy intentional ways.

SUMMARY OF HEALTHY SKILLS

There are three primary skills that we want to master.

1. The first is to express feelings and views in an assertive way.

2. Then we want to listen to the feelings and views of the other person because even the passive individual

may be unable to do that very well. His thoughts may be wandering off while someone is talking.

3. Third, we need to use problem-solving skills in order to reach an agreement with another person without

taking power or controlling the process, because the aggressive style and the passive style are both very

controlling and powerful styles.

The passive individual is very powerful in his use of silence and other passive aggressive behaviours. And the

aggressive person tends to be very powerful by demanding, ordering, and intimidating people. If we want to

give up power and move beyond power in relationships, we need to help them learn new healthy skills.

ASSERTING ISSUES PAST AND PRESENT

Let's first take a look at expressing feelings and views, both past and present. We really want to learn to fully

express issues in relationships past and present, throughout our lifetime. We need to address unfinished

business in relationships.

And so as we use assertive skills, we learn to implement the three-part assertive statement, which is: "I feel

________, when you ________, because ________." In the first blank, put a feeling word: annoyed, sad,

furious, venomous, perturbed, irritated, or other terms. This may require broadening one’s emotional

vocabulary. Choose a word that matches the level and specific kind of the feeling you have. In the "when you"

blank, provide a non-judgmental description of the other person’s observable behaviour. In the "because"

blank, clarify the effect on your life of the other person's behaviour.

Here are some well-worded examples:

"I feel frustrated when you don't put gas in the tank and you leave it on empty because then I have to stop by

the gas station, fill the tank, and then I'm late for work."

"I feel really cheated when you don't follow through on the tasks we agreed that you would do because then

I'm left with more work to do."

"I feel frustrated when you don't phone to let me know you are going to be late because then I lose valuable

time waiting."

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ASSERTIVENESS EXERCISE

Form a statement using the format above. Think of a relationship in which you had some issue, minor or

major, past or present, that you can make a statement about. It could be in relation to a loss of parental caring

and closeness, or unresolved conflict with a parent. Or it could be something that happened with an

acquaintance very recently or with a friend over a relatively minor issue.

You can use the same format to be encouraging. You can reinforce the desired behaviour by telling a person

they already are what you want them to be.

The following are examples assertive statement that need improvement:

"I feel afraid when you don't phone to say you will be late because I start thinking the worst-case scenario."

A feeling word goes in the first blank. "I feel afraid when you don't phone." Can you think of a practical effect

on your life? What's a practical effect when she doesn't phone? What do you do with your time? Are you able

to plan your time? Does it affect your planning or your organizing? You waste time thinking about what may

have happened to her and you can't get on with other tasks.

Another example: "I feel hurt and disrespected when you don't listen to me because then I don't get to finish

what I have to say." The term "disrespected" is a judgmental term. Do you feel hurt angry? Hurt frustrated?

Hurt annoyed? What kind of hurt? Use more specific feeling words.

Another example: "I feel ripped off when you weren't there for me because I feel we could have done so much

more as father and son." The word "feel" is used the second time to mean think, or believe rather than an

emotion. Just leave out the second "feel" word.

Another example: To his child a father says, "I feel anger when you get out of bed because I don't get as much

time to be alone with Mom." The father needs to tone down the anger word or leave the feel blank out

altogether as it may be too powerful for a child to hear.

Another example: "I feel very uncomfortable when you ask me a question because I don't always have an

answer." Uncomfortable what? Uncomfortable insecure? Uncomfortable frustrated? It's easier to avoid a

feeling word by using a vague general word, and then one ends up not being as direct and clear as one could

be.

Another example: "I feel upset when you go shopping and you don't buy the food I want because my health is

very important to me." Upset what? Upset angry? Upset anxious? How does it actually affect your health? Say

maybe, "Because I can't get the nutrition I need to be healthy."

An important principle in giving assertive negative feedback is to create safety for yourself and the other party

by getting permission from him to offer feedback. This can be done simply by saying, "Do you mind if I raise an

issue that is bothering me?" or, "Can I tell you something I fell annoyed about?" or, "Do you mind if I give you

some negative feedback?" or, “If I thought I knew something that might help you, would you want me to tell

you what it is?” This allows the receiving party to have some say or control, and it is respectful of his sensitivity

to receiving criticism.

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A WORD OF CAUTION

Be careful about using the assertive statement with an employer, an abusive spouse, a threatening person, or

a police officer. To do so may not be safe enough for you and may result in a negative outcome for you or the

other person. If the feeling word may be too powerful for a child or other emotionally fragile person, leave it

out of the assertive statement and use only the description of observable behavior and the effect on your life.

THE PROTECTION BLOCK

What do you imagine the passive person struggles with when he attempts to become assertive? What gets in

the way? He struggles with fear and guilt. The fear is of hurting or being hurt, of saying something that's going

to hurt the other person, or of experiencing a negative reaction. When the feared thing happens, he feels

guilty about not having prevented it from happening. The end result is the protection block.

The passive individual prefers to avoid stating the issue clearly. He may allude to it, perhaps in vague and

general ways. What one needs to understand is that passivity, or any one of the other styles of

communicating, may be appropriate in a given situation.

The bottom line is to choose the style as a conscious, deliberate decision, rather than as an impulsive reaction.

For instance, if I'm talking with a policeman or an employer, I'll usually choose to be passive or possibly even

apologetic. As a counselor you need to restrict your personal style somewhat such as withholding anger

toward a vulnerable or fragile person.

You can raise your voice with someone as a way of joining or taking sides with him as he's talking about his

anger toward somebody else. "You have every right to feel that. Say more about that." I'll do it as a way of

encouraging him to raise his voice and support his anger.

THE REFLECTIVE STATEMENT

The next essential communication skill is the reflective statement. It's easy to remember it as the opposite of

the assertive statement.

The assertive statement is: "I feel _______ when you _______ because_______." The reflective statement is,

"So you feel _____ when I ______ because________." And then we just add a perception check at the end: "Is

that what you're feeling?" or, "Is that what you're saying?" or, "Do I understand you?"

Essentially, the reflective statement reflects feeling and meaning. When we make a reflective statement,

understand that it may be better to overstate than to understate the person who is speaking. In other words,

when we make a reflection, it's may be best to reflect just a little bit more than what the speaker has said and

in this way to reflect the unspoken implication of what the speaker has said.

Sometimes, the speaker does not say what the practical effect on his life is; he'll only point out your

behaviour. In that case, when you make a reflection, reflect how your behaviour has affected the other’s life,

even if he hasn't stated it. That's to help him feel fully understood and supported.

If I understate his case in my reflection, what's going to be his reaction? He'll think I didn't quite understand,

so he may feel unsupported or very frustrated. He may increase his own anger or resentment, whereas if I

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overstate and if I'm sincere and not sarcastic in my reflection, he is going to feel very supported. His

resentment or hostility will tend to diminish.

The common denominator of all conflict-reducing behaviour is to be open to the feelings and views of the

other person. But this kind of openness and willingness to reflect the hostile party requires a thick skin

because the reflecting party needs to set aside his own feelings and views as long as the other party remains

very hostile, directing criticism toward the reflector. Another term for this is "ego death," the sense of

deprivation and giving up self-defense to focus on the needs and feelings of the critical party.

In a conflict between two people, it's helpful to exchange reflective statements. Use reflections to clarify the

issues to be resolved, and if the other person doesn't know about reflective listening, and most times he

won't, you can still elicit a reflection, so that you can feel understood. You can do this by saying, "Let me know

what you think you heard me say, because until I know that you understood what I've said, I don't think we

can go any further with this. I have to know that you understand my point of view."

What if the person reacts with, "Do you think I'm stupid, that I didn't hear you?" I'd say, "I'm not saying you're

stupid, what I'm saying is that I need to know that you understand what I'm saying. I need to know that you

understand me. So, can you tell me? I think you do understand, and you can understand, I just need to know

what you understand. I need to hear it. And I need to understand your point of view. I need to let you know

what I understand. Because in order to problem-solve, our issues need to be clear to each other." Clearly

identifying the issues through exchanging reflective statements, is the first step to resolving conflict.

FIGHTING BEHAVIOUR DEFINED

A conflict may degrade into a fight. The definition of a fight is when one person is unwilling to listen to the

point of view of the other. And it only takes one person who is unwilling to listen to the point of view of the

other to have a fight. It could be a silent fight or a verbal fight, I could use a wall of words to keep from

listening to you or I could use a wall of silence.

It's very important for fighting behaviour to be recognized early on, and there are two things you can do to

deal with it. The first is to keep the fight fair. As long as there are no threats, or name calling, or put-downs, it's

within fair limits.

The second way to deal with fighting is to recognize that as much as one may want to resolve the issue, one

may be too emotionally wound up to begin to be reasonable at all. He's too upset. He may be overly verbal

and dominating or overly silent and withdrawn or leave the room, and the last behaviour creates fear and

unsafety not knowing when the person will return.

At those times when you are too upset, it's very important to say, "I can't talk about this now, but I'll talk

about it this evening or when I feel I'm ready to talk about it." And if it's the other person who is refusing to

talk, or after that period of distance, it's important to come back to the other party and say, "I'm ready to talk

about this if you are." And at that time, when the emotions have subsided, you can sit down and make

assertive or reflective statements.

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PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS

Clarify the issues and then move it to the next step, which is to say, "What are we going to do?" That's the

question we must ask in order to move to the problem-solving phase, which is essential to the resolution of

the conflict. You have to get around to saying, "What are we going to do about our issue (or issues or about

my issue)?"

At that point you can begin to problem-solve. If you use a highly structured method of problem-solving, you

may get a pencil and paper and make a list of issues, your issues and my issues, and prioritize them. "I'll circle

my most important issue, and you'll circle yours. We'll flip a coin to see whose issue gets dealt with first." Take

that issue and start brainstorming solutions.

This is a highly structured problem-solving process. Structure is the key to maintaining safety in conflict,

especially if the conflict is emotionally intense and there are multiple, confusing issues to be dealt with. I

believe it's important to use a written process. You also need to give the feelings time to settle, because when

people try to resolve things too early, they get bogged down and begin to react emotionally again to things

that are said.

The creative problem-solving process is described in detail at this free download file location

https://www.box.com/shared/0qbido65hb

OFFERING NEGATIVE OR HELPFUL FEEDBACK OR SUPPORT IN A RESPECTFUL WAY

One of the most difficult challenges is knowing how to offer negative feedback. This can be done most

effectively by getting the other person’s permission to offer feedback such as: “Do you mind if I suggest

something that might help?” or even saying, “If I thought I knew something that might help you, would you

want me to tell you what it is?” This wording gives decision power and control to the other person to receive

your feedback, and it communicates your value, caring, and respect for them as a person.

Another approach is to say, “What would be most helpful and supportive for you to hear from me right now?”

This approach can be used when someone you care about is caught in a dilemma or crisis. You are respecting

and supporting their ability to know what is best for them.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS

1. Create and design 50-100 short and long-answer questions reviewing the scope and depth of the course

material and give responses to your questions taken from the content.

2. Write an assertive statement based on the formula given in the course and direct it to someone in your

life. Explain that it is part of an assignment, and be sure to get their permission to direct the statement to

them. Then ask them to tell you what it was like for them to hear your assertive statement. Write a short

report (2 or 3 pages) of the assignment and outcome, challenges, and areas for improvement.

3. Write a reflective statement based on the formula given in the course and employ it with someone in

your life. Explain that it is part of an assignment, and be sure to get their permission to reflect what they

have just said. Then ask them to tell you what it was like for them to hear your reflective statement and if it

was accurate. Write a short report (2 or 3 pages) of the assignment and outcome, challenges, and areas for

improvement.

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4. Using the creative problem-solving process described at https://www.box.com/shared/0qbido65hb, invite

someone to participate with you in solving an issue or problem. Write a report on aspects of the

assignment: what worked well and any challenges or areas for improvement you need to work on to be

more effective.

5. Write a short report (1 or 2 pages) describing your current communication style, how you benefitted from

the course, and what you still need to work on to communicate in the most healthy and respectful manner.

Learn Empathy: Building Skills for Caring by Daniel Keeran, MSW, is available as a PDF file

sent directly to your inbox. Order here https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-

xclick&hosted_button_id=9CQ2AVK9ZP78W

Ten detailed exercises to build empathy skills for people in any relationship, especially for the

workplace, adult couples, and children in the school setting.

What Others Are Saying

“As a School Counselor, At-Risk Youth Therapist, and Marriage and Family Therapist Intern, these activities

could prove to be quite beneficial with school-aged children and those suffering from disassociation of the

world around them. In private practice, it is often seen where children and adults alike have become so

engulfed by their situations that using these activities, in an age-appropriate way, could assist them in

refocusing on reality and lend a different perspective of their circumstances.”- Angela Fitzgerald, School

Counselor, South Carolina

".... wonderful, every aspect being touched starting from the feel of it, the understanding of it, the application of

it; simple yet so extensive. Every time I go through it I see different angles of situational application." - Luther

K., Airline Staff Trainer

“I am amazed at the detail, it seems to have all the answers I require.” – Faye H., psychotherapist

“.... made it simple on how to communicate empathy. The creatively-developed contents and exercises are

very helpful for counselling educators, practitioners and students to understand and successfully practice the

empathy skills.” - Sivan K, MC, Personal Development & Counseling Centre

“.... easy to read and understand and I think it would make a valuable resource for any educator wanting to

develop practical exercises for students, no matter what level of skills were existing. I would use this booklet...

to aid my clients in understanding the role of empathy in good listening, and I would find it valuable for that

purpose.”- Lisa Testart, Coach and Hypnotherapist

Submission Instructions:

1. With your regular mailing address and name to be printed on the course certificate, email all

assignments as attached files to a single email, to the College at collegemhc@gmail.com

2. Completion time: three weeks with time extensions approved on request.

3. Total cost: the tuition payment is $100 using this secure link https://www.paypal.com/cgi-

bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=3NPATH5KNAEE4

Your Certificate of Knowledge and Skills in Respectful Conversation will be mailed upon a satisfactory

review of your assignments and receipt of tuition.

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“Easy to read and remember. The exercises were good and down-to-earth, something that will help students

and professionals alike.... to be reminded that empathy and caring are much needed in our world and the world

of counselling today.”- Hazel McCorrisken, Dental Nurse

“This book would be helpful for children to practice their listening skills. Many times, we fill in the blanks with

what we believe someone meant rather than what they truly said. Empathy can place our own values and

opinions aside while being present for the speaker. I also believe this book would be helpful for children,

adolescents, and teens and their parents/guardians. Children struggle to feel heard simply because they are

the child.” - Julie D'Anniballe, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Kentucky Certified Alcohol and Drug

Counselor

“....very impressed with the practical applications of each lesson....making the information relevant to everyday

situations. This is not only good for students but also adults that lack empathy skills.- Roger Wilcoxen, MA,

OWDS, Family, Career, Re-entry and Mentoring Services, Creating Foundations LLC, Broken Pieces Healing

Fountain Ministries, Inc.

“Your Empathy Training handbook is well written. Covers the importance of empathy and makes it attainable.

Well done!” – Rabbi Moshe K., Yeshiva School, Nevada

“I must say that this is the easiest read I have had in a long time. It is self explainable and well thought out. I

loved the exercises as I feel that it brought me closer to my own self. I use my skills and interventions based on

many of my own experiences however, through these exercises I was more aware of the fact of the differences

in emotions and how they differ from person to person. I also think that with these exercises culturally diverse

populations can also gain a better understanding of each other and the values and beliefs within the world, and

through this find acceptance and value of self. I really enjoyed the exercise that displayed empathy for angry

feeling. This showed how many times an individual is more than they appear to be and others can learn to

relate with this. I currently am a clinical Mental Health Counseling student looking to open a therapeutic ranch

working with substance abuse in criminal offenders. I believe these exercises would be extremely therapeutic

for this population as they seek to go into the world a more healthy individual. It would assist with their own

evaluation of behaviors and how to identify when a reaction is healthy or not. I would recommend this resource

to everyone.” - Jodie Gonzalez, BHT, Arizona School of Psychology, Argosy University, Phoenix

“For years I worked with high schoolers in a program called Teen Institute. We used some of these activities

very successfully. Currently I work with impoverished folks in transitional housing, and I believe this material

could be well used in this area also. The activities, being hands-on, allows for individuals to learn to express

themselves in a safe environment while actually learning and practicing techniques that aide not only in

expressing themselves while being concerned for others.”- Becky Larson, Life Coach, Wisconsin

I am a Community Counselor with a diverse age of clientele, and I am always looking for materials for Group

Psychotherapy sessions. I found the material to be relevant and easy to use. The directions were clear,

precise, and targeted towards a better understanding for clients. I was excited to see how easy this material

could be targeted to any age group. I will definitely use this material in the near future. - Debra S Colston, MS,

Licensed Professional Counselor, Youth Care of Oklahoma

“I found the book to be filled with lots of how-to's and useable for not only adults, but especially young people

who want to learn to be mentors and guides. The exercises were helpful and i will be using them in my practice

and in my teaching. Thanks Daniel for sharing this tool with us.” - Joe Hardenbrook, MA MFT, MDiv, Reflection

Counseling, Nevada

“The book is well written and can be used in many ways to educate about empathy. The excercises are

accessible for any teacher or mental health professional to use and can be adjusted to fit their needs. I would

use this in trainings and with clients.” - Shayna Cohen, BA, Coordinator, Community Support Program