This paper has its roots in a dialogue with Rhee Dongschick, the founder of Taopsychotherapy, who described empathy and compassion as having interchangeable meanings. This is not found in either the Korean or the English language. Empathy means to ‘feel into’ (Einfühlung) the person’s particular experience, whereas compassion focuses on the suffering of the whole self. Only the self can suffer. Tradition based definitions of empathy and compassion are presented. It is suggested that compassion was implicit in Rogers’ work whereas compassion is explicit in the Buddhist approach. Merging the Buddhist emphasis on suffering and Tillich’s (1952) emphasis on courage, one can describe existential compassion as the willingness to be close to the suffering or courage of the other. A poignant example, with a client suffering death from a brain tumor, is presented. The Pre-Therapy was not intended as therapy but illustrates the compassionate aspect of contact – ‘Being With’.
The tPeP (Journal Person-centered experiential Psychotherapy) is the scientific journal for Dutch and Flemish psychotherapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists, that work from, or are interested in a client-centered perspective.
