Empathie in der Psychotherapie mit Kindern und Jugendlichen

Abstract

Empathy in psychotherapy with children and adolescents. In order to fully understand and feel with a child’s experience, a therapist has to focus not only on a child’s language and behavior, but also on other relevant factors: level of development and corresponding developmental tasks, infantile communication, systemic aspects as well as the child’s reference system, including its expectations. Having knowledge of methods of different therapy schools, e.g. of developmental psychology, of hypnotherapy or of systemic-solution focused approaches, is helpful. For knowledge enlarges empathic capabilities. This article will examine, how the person-/client-centered therapist can or should communicate her or his empathy, in order to fully meet a child or adolescent, comprehending all forms of expression and experience, beyond merely verbalizing emotional contents. There will be suggestions, how to use techniques and methods of different therapy schools, serving as channels for a personcentered relation.