When I was starting out as a psychotherapist, a patient who was troubled by the mounting…

James C. Coyne

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d the illusion that I would be able-bodied forever. I could only begin understanding his problem if I gave up that illusion and that would be very difficult, given how healthy I was. I had to admit he was right and I apologized.</p><div id="a421" class="link-block"> <a href="https://jamesccoyne.medium.com/the-illusion-you-will-be-forever-able-bodied-and-the-limits-of-empathy-60397c4418f1"> <div> <div> <h2>The illusion you will be forever able bodie

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d and the limits of empathy</h2> <div><h3>This is an edit of something I wrote in 2016, which I return to read every now and then. Sometimes I tinker with it…</h3></div> <div><p>jamesccoyne.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*690-RTBp8AEjDc8m9TLRcA.png)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

When I was starting out as a psychotherapist, a patient who was troubled by the mounting complications of his diabetes taught me a valuable lesson about empathy that stuck with me.

I said that I understood his predicament and he replied “No you don’t.” He pointed out that I had the illusion that I would be able-bodied forever. I could only begin understanding his problem if I gave up that illusion and that would be very difficult, given how healthy I was. I had to admit he was right and I apologized.