Experts in validation, empathy, and/or compassion

[teamnoir]

If you wanted to find an expert in validation, where would you look?

If you wanted to talk to an expert in empathy, where would you find such a person?

How about an expert in compassion?

Comments

[tyrsalvia]

Mediators, therapists, some clergy, some sexworkers. Amma. I noticed you said expert in rather than expert on....

[teamnoir]

Yes, "expert in". I'm looking for someone who by some consensus does it well, not necessarily talks about it well.

[tyrsalvia]

You might try hospice volunteers.

[drewkitty]

1) A parking attendant near you. Seriously, watch this movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbk980jV7Ao

2) Clergy in service to the emergency workers community. References required.

[slfisher]

3. A Buddhist. Someone from the San Francisco Zen Center, perhaps.

[teamnoir]

Happy Birthday. :).

[trinsf]

1. A hair stylist. Also a lot of people in more upscale retail.
2,3. A hospital chaplain. My classmates actually take classes in empathy compassion -- but many of them already start out pretty good at it. It's actually sort of creepy, the way they are so *engaged* in empathy all the time.

[teamnoir]

Where does one find such a class?

[trinsf]

Ministry Studies at divinity schools, I guess. http://www.hds.harvard.edu/academics/courses/by-mdiv-art-of-ministry.cfm#AMPC . My school offers a class called "Eye Contact, Ethics, and Interbeing." I will ask some of my classmates who are especially good at it where they learned it, if you want.

[trinsf]

One of my classmates actually talks about how she has this way of engaging, and this sort of head tilt/eye contact thing -- the ministerial compassionate gaze, or something. She got here to start school, and rapidly realized that people were doing it too, which makes her feel really strange, because she's usually only the one doing it. :-) You would like her.