title: Neurosciences, empathy, and healthy interpersonal relationships: recent findings and implications for counseling psychology.
abstract: In this article, we define the construct of empathy and its relevance for counseling psychology. The importance of deficits in empathic processes for most of the psychological disorders is presented within the context of the social brain hypothesis (Frith, 2007). We provide a review of empirical research about the neural correlates of empathy in terms of both the central and peripheral nervous system. We present recent evidence on the cortical and subcortical regions involved in different dimensions of empathy-emotional contagion, cognitive and emotional empathy, and self-regulation. Regarding the autonomic correlates of empathy, we present evidence about the correlates of sympathetic arousal associated with empathic processes and review data supporting the idea of the physiological linkage or synchrony as indicator of empathy in interpersonal relationships. The implications of these findings for counseling psychology, particularly for the psychotherapist-client relationship and for context of intimate relationships or couples therapy, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychophysiology Laboratory, Cipsi School of Psychology, University of Minho.
authors.forename: Joana Fernandes
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychophysiology Laboratory, Cipsi School of Psychology, University of Minho.
authors.forename: Patrícia Oliveira
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Decety
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003376:Counseling; D019546:Couples Therapy; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D004645:Empathy / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009488:Neurosciences; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011586:Psychology, Clinical; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology