Empathy — The ability to imagine oneself in another’s place and understand the other’s feelings, desires, ideas and actions. So simple, and yet so enigmatic! The development of empathy, the limitations of empathy, the influence of theory on empathy, and the role of culture in the determination and use of empathy were the four panel topics addressed at the Empathy Symposium on March 3 and 4, 2007, culminating with a final discussion by Glen Gabbard. Posted here at InternationalPsychpoanalysis.net are selected streaming audio files from that conference.

Click on any of the players below to listen.

01 Carolyn Ellman – Welcome (length 4:10)

02 Theodore Jacobs – Introduction (length 29:53)

The Development of Empathy

03 Carolyn Ellman Introduces Susan Coates (length 0:38)

04 Susan Coates Introduces Ted Shapiro (length 2:44)

05 TedShapiro – Empathy & Development: Lessons From Pathology (length 23:59)

The Limitations of Empathy

06 Carolyn Ellman Introduces Joseph Reppen (length 0:31)

07 Joseph Reppen Introduces Charles Hanly (length 0:55)

08 Charles Hanly – Problems & Limitations of Empathy (length 27:18)

09 Joseph Reppen Introduces Warren Poland (length 0:45)

10 Warren Poland – untitled (length 22:56)

The Influence of Theory On Empathy

11 Arnold Richards Introduces Steve Levy (length 1:25)

12 Steve Levy – Introduction (length 1:56)

13 Steve Levy Introduces Marianne Robinson (length 0:36)

14 Marianne Robinson – untitled (length 18:43)

15 Steve Levy Introduces James Fosshage (length 1:06)

16 James Fosshage – untitled (length 22:35)

17 Steve Levy Introduces Evelyne Albrecht Schwaber (length 1:58)

18 Evelyne Albrecht Schwaber – untitled (length 26:14)

19 Panel Discussion (length 9:44)

The Role of Culture in the Determination and Use of Empathy

20 Carolyn Ellman Introduces Joerg Bose (length 0:26 )

21 Joerg Bose – Introduction (length 1:01)

22 Joerg Bose Introduces Dorothy Holmes (length 1:35)

23 Dorothy Holmes – Empathic Challenges (length 25:58)

24 Joerg Bose Introduces Lynne Layton (length 0:51)

25 LynneLayton – Prisoners of Hope (length 25:35)

26 Joerg Bose Introduces Anna Ornstein (length 1:28)

27 Anna Ornstein – Cultures Without Empathy (length 33:32)

Final Discussion

28 Owen Renik Introduces Glen Gabbard (length 2:43)

29 Glen Gabbard – Final Discussion part 1 (length 10:19)

30 Glen Gabbard – Final Discussion part 2 (length 25:45)

31 Owen Renik Introduces Arnold Richards (length 0:55)

32 ArnoldRichards – Closing Remarks (length 5:58)

(To visit the symposium website, click here)