COURSE 3: Empathy and Bias, within a Person-Centered Approach

To authentically value each client's unique perspective and center the client’s needs, and their ability to advocate for self, or for a family member requires that we suspend judgments and remove biases. To uncover implicit bias in healthcare, many organizations have administered the Implicit Association Test, and conducted organizational research to see where implicit bias is prevalent in decision making and care, though unintentional. These disparities could lead to failures in patient-centered care, interpersonal treatment, communication, trust, and contextual knowledge. Using and incorporating empathy tools moves us past the normal views of diagnosis, service and care, and requires a shift to unconditional positive regard of the client’s experiences, cultural influences and concerns. Creating a culture of service and care that fosters a supportive and non-judgmental environment is crucial for positive outcomes.