additive empathy

The interviewer's process of drawing out the inner and more-hidden feelings of the client with some mild to moderate interpretation and questions about underlying emotions and experiences (for example, “Perhaps you're feeling this way because. . . .”). According to Dean H. Hepworth and Jo Ann Larsen (Direct Social Work Practice: Theory and Skills, 2nd ed., Chicago: Dorsey Press, 1990, p. 461), additive empathy should be used sparingly until a sound social worker–client relationship is established, and only when clients are engaged in self-exploration. Additive empathy responses should be made only in relation to the client's current awareness and experience and should be presented tentatively rather than authoritatively. To minimize client resistance, the social work interviewer should avoid making several additive empathic responses in succession and should be ready to retreat or acknowledge error if the client indicates a need to avoid the information.