Matt Stevens
Matt Stevens
Addiction & Empathy Sympathy & Compassion With Guest Kitty
Addiction & Empathy Sympathy & Compassion With Guest Kitty
Addiction & Empathy Sympathy & Compassion With Guest Kitty
Tuesday 3rd June 2025
Explore empathy, sympathy, and compassion in addiction recovery with Matt Stevens and Kitty on My Sober Addiction.
29 minutes
Informative
Compassionate
Supportive
Engaging
Authentic
About this podcast
Author:
Matt Stevens
Overview:
Categories:
Mindful Recovery
Creative Recovery Journeys
Sexual Empowerment & Identity
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Financial Health in Recovery
Links:
Visit site
Episodes:
61 (View all)
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Get the buttons here!Empathy vs Sympathy: Navigating Addiction with Kitty
Episode Overview
- Empathy involves feeling what others feel; it can be overwhelming.
- Sympathy allows understanding without absorbing emotions.
- Compassion involves taking action to alleviate suffering.
- Avoid enabling by recognising genuine needs versus manipulation.
- Use intuition to guide actions in supporting loved ones.
"Empathy means that you feel what a person is feeling, and that's something that has kind of plagued Kitty."
Matt Stevens welcomes Kitty back for her third appearance on the My Sober Addiction podcast, where they unravel the differences between empathy, sympathy, and compassion. This episode takes a closer look at how these emotions can impact relationships with those battling addiction. Kitty shares her experiences as an empath, explaining how she often absorbs the emotional burdens of others, sometimes without realising it. Matt discusses the importance of understanding these distinctions to avoid enabling loved ones who are struggling.
Kitty recounts a poignant encounter with a woman at a gas station, illustrating the challenges of balancing compassion with the risk of enabling harmful behaviours. They highlight the importance of recognising when someone is genuinely seeking help versus when they might be manipulating a situation to continue their addiction. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own interactions with those in need, using intuition and understanding to guide their actions.
The conversation underscores the necessity of tough love and the fine line between helping and enabling. Through personal stories and shared wisdom, Matt and Kitty offer guidance on how to be supportive without perpetuating addiction. By exploring these themes, the podcast aims to equip you with the tools to support loved ones without compromising your own well-being. Dive into this heartfelt discussion and consider how empathy, sympathy, and compassion play roles in your life.