LifeHacker: How to parent an empath
While many people have the capacity to have empathy for others, those who are characterized as empaths feel other people's feelings or physical sensations as if they are their own. It is not an official diagnosis, but it is estimated about 1-2% of the population may be empaths.
Shana Feibel, DO, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry & behavioral neuroscience in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and a psychiatrist at the Lindner Center of Hope in Mason, gave LifeHacker tips for how to best parent a child who is an empath.
Feibel said it is important to reduce environmental clutter like visual, aural and textural stimuli for children who are empaths. This includes traveling with headphones or ear plugs or wearing soft and loose clothing.
"Because empaths may not realize when they are becoming overtired or over hungry, they could easily extend themselves too much,” Feibel added. “It is very important to teach them to listen to their body cues so that they can start regulating themselves at an early age.”
Featured photo at top courtesy of Unsplash.
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