If ever there were a need for empathy, it is now. Listening to the news about what’s going on around the world, it feels as though humanity is fragmenting right before our eyes. Empathy is the glue that holds humanity together. Empathy reminds us to nurture life through connecting with one another in kindness and compassion. Empathy is one of the most powerful tools we have to transform conflict into harmony.

Welcome to "Scaling the Empathy Wall”, Episode #126 of Co-creating Peace, a podcast about conscious communication and conflict transformation.

On Nov. 4th, I will host the 3rd in a series of Empathy Summits produced by the Center for Building a Culture of Empathy. Please join me for this free online Empathy Summit – "Why is Empathy Essential in Conflict Resolution?" We’ll hear from 5 international conflict resolution experts, then participate in Empathy Circles dialogues with other summit participants. To learn more and to register, visit https://www.empathysummit.com

Denise Blanc, joins me to talk about how curiosity and inquiry can help us to scale that invisible, but oh-so-daunting wall that seems to divide us from the people around us so that we can discover and remember the beauty of our shared humanity. Together we explore how we can find the commonalities that are the foundation for empathy by starting conversations with clear intentions, asking questions that take us beneath the superficial, and acknowledging others to help them to feel seen and appreciated.

Gems you’ll want to harvest:

• Connecting well with others begins with intention & curiosity
• Finding what we share in common helps build a foundation for empathy
• Acknowledging and asking open questions helps find our commonalities
• The wisdom that comes from initiating a “pattern interrupt”
•  “Interrogating” your biases can help you reality-test and transcend them

Denise Blanc, MA, EQCC, ACC is a communication expert, Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach, Facilitator, and Mediator. She coaches, teaches, and writes at the intersection of Emotional Intelligence, Conflict Transformation, and Mindfulness. 

Denise is the founder and CEO of River Logic Partners, a leadership coaching and consulting firm. 

 She is the author of RiverLogic: Tools to Transform Resistance and Create Flow in all of our Relationships described as “a deeply insightful guide to living in the presence of conflict - fluidly, with equanimity, caring and skill.” Denise’s commitment is to inspire candor, courage, and compassionate communication in creating a more caring world.

You can learn more about Denise Blanc and her book “RiverLogic: Tools to Transform Resistance and Create Flow in all of our Relationships” by visiting www.riverlogictools.com

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