How well did the facilitator lead the group and create a safe space? Please explain and give examples.
By going to group for first input on new slides and affirming and restating/paraphrasing participants' input, contributed to creating a sense of safe space by showing them their input is welcome and supported. Also, collegial interactions with co-facilitator communicated safety for others to share.
How well did the facilitator explain this Skill using the PowerPoint presentation? Please give examples.
Very well, especially by going to group to ask about the "outgroup" slide from an earlier skill and asking about its relevance to empathy. Also, great group engagement by going to them first for their feedback/thoughts on the "jumping for joy" slide.
How well did the facilitator explain and lead the activities in this Skill? Please explain and give specific examples.
NA
How well did the facilitator lead the Mindful Dialogues and Reflective Writing Exercises in this Skill? Please explain and give specific examples.
NA
What aspects of this Skill did you think the facilitator did exceptionally well? Please give examples.
Good use of a personal example. Much better going to participants for their input, creating an environment that is more facilitative than instructive. Good engagement of group in asking them for personal examples of empathy fade. Very good use of paraphrasing to increase/assure understanding and communication. Good use of affirmation for their feedback thereby creating an environment of trust and safety and to promote participant sharing. Good closing, expressing appreciation and gratitude for co-facilitator and participants.
How well did the facilitator lead the Contemplative Practice in this Skill? Please explain and give specific examples.
Very well, especially in setting it up, making it seem natural, and making it your own. Very good reminder for novices to start with someone to whom they're sympathetic/empathetic.
What aspects of this Skill could the facilitator improve? Please give examples.
Might have telegraphed/introduce empathy fade a bit too soon, in that detail. Then, afterward, might have better affirmed input of participant who all but introduced the concept of empathy fade by talking about the upcoming Syrian child slides (often good to say something like, "You are so on point with this material, that you're already ahead of where we are; we'll talk more about that in an upcoming section of this session"). Then, when those slides did come up, might have been best to include a warning that the material as difficult and could cause some participants to become dysregulated. Could have been a bit more facilitative rather than instructive by asking participants for their thoughts (particularly in light of the fact the information had already been shared by a participant).
To clarify with the general (and common) confusion over the difference between empathy, compassion and sympathy, repeating/emphasizing CIT definition would have been helpful.
Could have perhaps better responded to participants response about "shaming" people for having an empathic distress response by emphasizing that empathic distress is natural, common, and meant to protect us from emotional overload. Even though it is the result of self-focus, shame need not be attached.