. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 Dec 12.

Published in final edited form as: Cogn Behav Pract. 2014 Mar 28;21(4):404–415. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2014.03.003

Table 4.

Empathic Strategies in Acute Cancer CT

Empathic Strategy	Example
Silence	Shared empathic silence and reflection (10–20 sec)
Normalizing/validating	“It is normal to be upset at such a difficult moment…”
Normalizing/validating	“It is understandable that you are angry after all that has happened…”
Name or acknowledge the emotion	“You seem sad.”
Name or acknowledge the emotion	“I can see that you’re upset.”
Encourage expression	“Tell me more about how you are feeling.”
Active listening	“If I understand you correctly, you are angry because you were told that your mother’s pneumonia would respond to antibiotics…”
Apologize or express regret	“I am sorry that things have not turned out as we might have wished.”
Gesture or touch	Offering tissues, appropriate handshake, hand on shoulder or hug
Praise	“You are very brave.”