Question
How do compassion and empathy differ, and why is compassion more sustainable in healthcare settings?
Answer
Compassion and empathy, while related, have distinct roles in clinical practice. Empathy involves emotionally resonating with a patient’s experiences, effectively “feeling with” them. This emotional mirroring, mediated by neural networks like the anterior insula and cingulate cortex, creates deep connections but can lead to emotional fatigue and empathic distress when used excessively.
Compassion, on the other hand, combines understanding and action. It involves recognizing a patient’s suffering and being motivated to alleviate it, activating brain regions associated with positive emotions, such as the medial orbitofrontal cortex. Unlike empathy, compassion maintains a boundary between the clinician and patient, fostering a connection without internalizing the patient’s distress. This approach reduces emotional exhaustion, allowing clinicians to engage deeply with patients while preserving their own well-being.
Adopting a compassion-driven approach requires training and practice but offers long-term benefits for both patients and clinicians. It enhances therapeutic alliances, improves patient outcomes, and supports clinician resilience, making it an essential skill in combating burnout and promoting sustainable clinical practice.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, "Burnout Prehab and Rehab: Strategies for Resilience," presented by Lisa Flexner, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT.
