Never in the history of mankind has anyone stopped being anxious just because someone else told them "don't worry." Yet, it still seems difficult for us not to rush to give advice when someone shares a thought, an experience, or a difficulty with us.

The concept of empathy is overused. And despite its widespread usage, there is a lack of a commonly agreed definition of what it actually is. Many people confuse it with compassion or sympathy, wonder how to avoid identifying too closely, or whether they need to agree with the other person in order to show empathy. They are not sure if empathy is about another person's pain or about any emotion the other person feels, and cannot answer the question "Why do we find it easier to show empathy towards an injured cat and much harder towards victims of war or a shipwreck in the Aegean?" Even experts do not have a commonly agreed definition among themselves.

Dr. Vasilis Kiosses, through examples and real-life incidents, sheds light on the concept of empathy, in the context of our universal need to be in relationships and interact with people who understand us, respect us, and can listen to us without conditions.