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The Happy Empath's Workbook: Hands-On Activities, Worksheets and Strategies for Creating a Joyous and Full Life
An interactive workbook to help empaths understand, reflect, and harness their unique powers.
Are You an Empath?
• Have you ever been labeled as “too emotional”?
• Do you get overwhelmed during confrontations and arguments?
• Do you take on other people’s emotions and stress?
• Do you like being outside, walking barefoot and connecting with nature?
Does This Sound Like You?
• I have trouble sleeping and often have bouts of insomnia.
• Sometimes people in my life don’t understand that I need my alone time.
• I have a hard time setting healthy boundaries for myself.
• I can become anxious or worried for no reason.
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re probably an empath. Empaths take on the emotions of others in addition to their own, so it can be hard to handle so many feelings at once. This book is full of easy-to-use interactive prompts and expert tips and techniques that will help you learn how to embrace your emotions and develop your empath gifts.
Are You an Empath?
• Have you ever been labeled as “too emotional”?
• Do you get overwhelmed during confrontations and arguments?
• Do you take on other people’s emotions and stress?
• Do you like being outside, walking barefoot and connecting with nature?
Does This Sound Like You?
• I have trouble sleeping and often have bouts of insomnia.
• Sometimes people in my life don’t understand that I need my alone time.
• I have a hard time setting healthy boundaries for myself.
• I can become anxious or worried for no reason.
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re probably an empath. Empaths take on the emotions of others in addition to their own, so it can be hard to handle so many feelings at once. This book is full of easy-to-use interactive prompts and expert tips and techniques that will help you learn how to embrace your emotions and develop your empath gifts.
- GenresSelf HelpNonfiction
117 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
68 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 18, 2021
Good for those who like anomalistic psychology.
Bad for those who read only to confirm prior biases, update their availability heuristic, base rate fallacies etc etc.
What I liked about this book:
It provided a good exercise in metacognitive reasoning. I aimed to write a review and ended up with an essay, but it was fun.
‘By studying the fringes of science, we learn a great deal about legitimate science.’ Novella
What I didn’t like about this book:
It is misleading. My well-intentioned brother, a spiritual (yet scientifically educated) individual, gifted me this book. Normally he has better taste. And normally, I would read this kind of material with impartial interest and move on. But the problem I have here is that the author makes entirely invalid ‘scientific’ claims, offering cherry-picked data to fit preconceived (and sometimes completely irrelevant) esoteric concepts.
Problem no.1
For starters, there are major problems with the premise; the existence of parapsychological phenomena has yet to be externally validated. Empirical findings have refuted vitalism, and there is no reliable evidence that these claims have any physiological benefit whatsoever (unless you’re talking about illusory benefits such as the placebo effect). And the entire premise has failed to progress; within the realms of science, theories are constantly changing and advancing within the cycle of enquiry - psi phenomena, however, has been actively researched over the last century with no breakthrough.
Problem no. 2
The author sets the tone by declaring her authority as a ‘full-time psychic medium, intuitive empath and certified reiki master.’ From what I’ve read, Clairvoyance has been attributed to apophenia, pareidolia, the ideomotor effect, hypnagogic hallucinations, the placebo effect, regression to the mean, a whole load of biases/fallacies, etc, and just plain old fraud. As for the notion of ‘empath’, its definition varies depending on where you look – a sure sign of pseudoscience. Up until now, Reiki has also been clinically investigated to suggest there is no evidence for efficacy… it is directly falsified.
Problem no.3
There is no evidence or actual definition for the ‘energy’ stated throughout this entire book. A few claims are backed by single studies published in fringe journals involving small, unblinded trials. The other evidence provided happens to be irrelevant to the author’s declarations. For example, the author asserts that our scientific advances now provide bioenergetic proof of ‘human energy fields’, citing Chladni’s theory of sound, Wilhelm Dove’s binaural beats, and Hans Jenny with his anthroposophical cymatics studies. Their findings (some of which are questionable) are extrapolated - they are nonsequiturs - apparently the presence of magnetic fields, sound, and brain waves are proof of vitalism*. It’s an attractive assertion for sure, but unfortunately a reductive fallacy; we like simplicity because the illusion of comprehending complex phenomena reaffirms our identity-protective cognition.
*Some examples of the vitalist claims are as follows:
- our electromagnetic fields ‘mesh’ with those we have deep connections with
- our energy fields can ‘literally heal one another’
- during intimacy ‘DNA can activate and unlock [so] both parties align with their higher selves’
- we can ‘make the physical world change by manifesting it with positive thoughts’
Problem no.4
The book is riddled with the rainbow ruse technique, stating that empaths: will always know when something is wrong with their partner - are very sure about their emotions - can be moody – need strong emotional support - can feel everything - need the freedom to be who they are - love to love - sneeze and get headaches from chemicals. These are just a few. Rainbow ruse = personality traits that could apply to most people.
Problem no.5
I like the idea of interacting with the book, filling in as you go along, however, the writer asks us to reflect on our memories - but only after reading her rainbow ruse statements and suggestive anecdotes. The act of retrieving a memory after being primed with this material only distorts our perception of reality.
Problem no.6
The testimonials at the back appeal to the suggestable reader by instilling a sense of trust, utilising the fallacy of misleading vividness. Just because this individual can provide positive accounts from acquaintances does not infer merit to her claims.
Problem no.7
Vibrations, energy, heart space, force, manifest, consciousness; these terms have been distorted into ‘wellness’ buzzwords and so only exist in the urban dictionary and wellness coach websites. There is a recurring theme throughout - like all cargo-cult science – the author plops in scientific terminology among the ‘wellness’ bullshit to give the illusion of truth. Examples:
- the author claims that emotion changes our brain chemistry, altering our vibrations and in turn, these vibrations manifest into matter.
- ‘Separation is truly an illusion... [a twin flame] is a bond that is formed through quantum entanglement, a phenomenon in which particles affect each other instantaneously across any type of distance.’
- ‘Whatever energetic pattern or frequency we carry internally manifests itself externally into physical reality. We are truly that powerful. This is not a conceptual way of thinking: this is quantum physics. Quantum physics has revealed what the ancient masters once knew: The substance of the universe is consciousness.’ (The author supports this statement with a small sampled experiment undertaken at Princeton University (the author fails to mention the organisation - International Consciousness Research Laboratories, previously Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research, that analyses parapsychological phenomena with a vision for a future that accepts ‘subjective science’). The author then follows this research by quoting Nikola Tesla, and I am yet to understand why because Tesla not only disagreed with the existence of atoms but was also opposed towards the notion of matter turning into energy and criticised Einstein’s theory of relativity. Ultracrepidarian exploiting QM terminology = quantum flapdoodle).
- ‘Essential oils are like little magic potions.’ The author makes up for this mystical blunder by following the sentence with the words ‘tiny plant molecules.’
Problem no.8
‘Doctors, scientists, and lawyers are extremely claircognizant... you simply know the answer to things... if you keep thinking about something, there is a reason for it... it is highly likely that you are receiving guidance.’ Meaning bias. And totally disregarding that, generally, these highly intellectual members of society will have a tendency to ‘know the answer to things’ because they’re educated and trained; it’s their job.
Problem no.9
Energy vampires are apparently arrogant young individuals who can’t handle their emotions and suck your energy supply. How am I supposed to take this writer seriously if her ‘scientifically-supported’ knowledge refers to a mythological creature?
Problem no.10
‘The mind tells us [what] is logical and causes us to suppress the ancient wisdom that is held within our hearts.’ And apparently being ‘highly sceptical... always feeling as though there has to be a logical or ‘rational’ meaning for something is a sign of being ungrounded’. This roundabout reasoning is begging the question; providing farfetched information and justifying it by criticising our natural instinct to question. The author made sure to back this claim by citing Stephen Sinatra MD, a cardiologist who specialises in CAM and advocates grounding. There are studies that have cited proof of its efficacy, but it has been highly criticised for its ‘atrocious’ methodology and questionable results. And here, ladies and gentlemen, we have the theatre of science outside the realms of scientific method; citing a bit of ‘science’ from someone sciencey, garbling the definition of ‘negative’ whilst condemning something entirely essential: Critical. Thinking.
Problem no.11
The sources backing the entire premise of this book are questionable and quite frankly comical. The book is full of unverified statements but nonetheless seduce the reader with scientific promise, such as this example: ‘scientists believe empaths to have very sensitive mirror neurons.’ Of the 18 direct quotes used, 9 of them are from unknowns. The others can be generalised as exploiters of the appeal to nature fallacy movement - otherwise known as the $4.2 trillion new-age ‘wellness’ industry. And I use the present tense because, for those who have died, their destructive pseudo-profound bullshit continues to spread beyond the grave. Upon further investigation, I noticed that the very bios provided by these individuals were an instant indicator of charlatanism; mix new-age jargon with a few familiar words and voila; esoteric quackery disguised in scientific garb. Examples:
Shakti Gawain - a famous author who claimed the new-age fatalistic idea that positive thoughts could change physical matter. A classic example of ultracrepidarian practice; convincing terminally ill patients to heal ‘naturally’ by thinking it, and oh, that obviously you got that ill by thinking too negatively.
Paulina Sarafin - claims to specialise in ‘Spirit Whispering. Energy healing through Christ Consciousness, focusing on mental-spiritual trauma, soul loss, holographic imprint removal’.
Natalie Pachel - straight from the horse’s mouth: ‘What I do: Inspiration is the source of innovation. It is where ideas are birthed. It is the state in which we create. It is the way we shift and grow. In an inspired state we are open to everything and anything seems possible, indeed anything is possible. I work in an inspired state and therefore am open to all possibilities. Intuition is knowledge or feeling that is independent from what we perceive. It is a universal truth outside of circumstances. When read and followed correctly it is incredibly powerful. I work in an intuitive state and therfore am open to incredible power. I use a wide range of skills, methods and modalities within this framework that will enable us to take the leap to the next level. It's nothing you don't have access to, in fact, all I do is help you to access it yourself. I started this business because I enjoy helping people to transform their lives. Whether you feel highly successful, or stuck in a rut, the perspective that you need to step into more is here for you. Now. There is no one quite like you. I want to see what you and only you are capable of. When you go the next level, I do. If this sounds like a trip that you would like to go on then let's go.’
For £75 every 30 minutes, I’m still not certain what I’m paying for?
John Welwood - Buddhist, psychotherapist, and transpersonal psychologist. Transpersonal psychology = unmeasurable and subsequently untestable.
Frederick Lenz - spiritual teacher, author, record producer, and… cult leader.
Caroline Myss - a ‘medical intuitive’ who had to drop her false Ph.D. in ‘Intuition and Energy medicine’. ‘Energy medicine’ is based on mysticism and pseudoscience.
Biowell - sells a scanner to measure your ‘leaky chakra’. ‘The image, which we create in Bio-Well instrument, is based on idea of Acupuncture points concept and verified by 20 years of clinical experience by hundreds of practitioners with many thousands of patients. The scanning process is quick, easy and non-intrusive... do it daily for best results! Get real time feedback on what factors - positive and negative - affect your stress and energy state.’
If you’re interested, you can get the scanner for $1899. Still yet to find the ‘20 years of clinical experience’ from hundreds of practitioners and those thousands of patients…
Ilchi Lee - another pseudoscientific cult leader making money from the dysrationalia.
Dr Mehmet - a tv personality, professor and surgeon, who was awarded the Pigasus Award for his global promotion of quackery. A few years ago, Columbia University was beseeched by over 1,300 doctors to remove this ‘Dr’ from the vice-chair of the Department of Surgery.
Problem no.1029283838
There were more problems, but alas I have better things to do with my time. My conclusion: if the synopsis uses the Forer effect; a vague set of shotgunning Barnum statements aimed at relating to anyone who happens to come across this book: avoid. I’ll end this review just as the author does in the book: she claims that we all have the ability to create any reality we desire because we are ‘magicians.’ And for once, I agree. The only way you could achieve her claims would be to deceive oneself, because that’s just what magicians do: illude.
"Alternative medicine, then, is at best useless and at worst positively damaging, not just medically but to our collective understanding of science. By encouraging followers to cling to these delusions, advocates of alternative medicine denigrate the enormous strides we as a species have made over the past century or so in understanding the world around us and how our bodies work.” Grimes
Bad for those who read only to confirm prior biases, update their availability heuristic, base rate fallacies etc etc.
What I liked about this book:
It provided a good exercise in metacognitive reasoning. I aimed to write a review and ended up with an essay, but it was fun.
‘By studying the fringes of science, we learn a great deal about legitimate science.’ Novella
What I didn’t like about this book:
It is misleading. My well-intentioned brother, a spiritual (yet scientifically educated) individual, gifted me this book. Normally he has better taste. And normally, I would read this kind of material with impartial interest and move on. But the problem I have here is that the author makes entirely invalid ‘scientific’ claims, offering cherry-picked data to fit preconceived (and sometimes completely irrelevant) esoteric concepts.
Problem no.1
For starters, there are major problems with the premise; the existence of parapsychological phenomena has yet to be externally validated. Empirical findings have refuted vitalism, and there is no reliable evidence that these claims have any physiological benefit whatsoever (unless you’re talking about illusory benefits such as the placebo effect). And the entire premise has failed to progress; within the realms of science, theories are constantly changing and advancing within the cycle of enquiry - psi phenomena, however, has been actively researched over the last century with no breakthrough.
Problem no. 2
The author sets the tone by declaring her authority as a ‘full-time psychic medium, intuitive empath and certified reiki master.’ From what I’ve read, Clairvoyance has been attributed to apophenia, pareidolia, the ideomotor effect, hypnagogic hallucinations, the placebo effect, regression to the mean, a whole load of biases/fallacies, etc, and just plain old fraud. As for the notion of ‘empath’, its definition varies depending on where you look – a sure sign of pseudoscience. Up until now, Reiki has also been clinically investigated to suggest there is no evidence for efficacy… it is directly falsified.
Problem no.3
There is no evidence or actual definition for the ‘energy’ stated throughout this entire book. A few claims are backed by single studies published in fringe journals involving small, unblinded trials. The other evidence provided happens to be irrelevant to the author’s declarations. For example, the author asserts that our scientific advances now provide bioenergetic proof of ‘human energy fields’, citing Chladni’s theory of sound, Wilhelm Dove’s binaural beats, and Hans Jenny with his anthroposophical cymatics studies. Their findings (some of which are questionable) are extrapolated - they are nonsequiturs - apparently the presence of magnetic fields, sound, and brain waves are proof of vitalism*. It’s an attractive assertion for sure, but unfortunately a reductive fallacy; we like simplicity because the illusion of comprehending complex phenomena reaffirms our identity-protective cognition.
*Some examples of the vitalist claims are as follows:
- our electromagnetic fields ‘mesh’ with those we have deep connections with
- our energy fields can ‘literally heal one another’
- during intimacy ‘DNA can activate and unlock [so] both parties align with their higher selves’
- we can ‘make the physical world change by manifesting it with positive thoughts’
Problem no.4
The book is riddled with the rainbow ruse technique, stating that empaths: will always know when something is wrong with their partner - are very sure about their emotions - can be moody – need strong emotional support - can feel everything - need the freedom to be who they are - love to love - sneeze and get headaches from chemicals. These are just a few. Rainbow ruse = personality traits that could apply to most people.
Problem no.5
I like the idea of interacting with the book, filling in as you go along, however, the writer asks us to reflect on our memories - but only after reading her rainbow ruse statements and suggestive anecdotes. The act of retrieving a memory after being primed with this material only distorts our perception of reality.
Problem no.6
The testimonials at the back appeal to the suggestable reader by instilling a sense of trust, utilising the fallacy of misleading vividness. Just because this individual can provide positive accounts from acquaintances does not infer merit to her claims.
Problem no.7
Vibrations, energy, heart space, force, manifest, consciousness; these terms have been distorted into ‘wellness’ buzzwords and so only exist in the urban dictionary and wellness coach websites. There is a recurring theme throughout - like all cargo-cult science – the author plops in scientific terminology among the ‘wellness’ bullshit to give the illusion of truth. Examples:
- the author claims that emotion changes our brain chemistry, altering our vibrations and in turn, these vibrations manifest into matter.
- ‘Separation is truly an illusion... [a twin flame] is a bond that is formed through quantum entanglement, a phenomenon in which particles affect each other instantaneously across any type of distance.’
- ‘Whatever energetic pattern or frequency we carry internally manifests itself externally into physical reality. We are truly that powerful. This is not a conceptual way of thinking: this is quantum physics. Quantum physics has revealed what the ancient masters once knew: The substance of the universe is consciousness.’ (The author supports this statement with a small sampled experiment undertaken at Princeton University (the author fails to mention the organisation - International Consciousness Research Laboratories, previously Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research, that analyses parapsychological phenomena with a vision for a future that accepts ‘subjective science’). The author then follows this research by quoting Nikola Tesla, and I am yet to understand why because Tesla not only disagreed with the existence of atoms but was also opposed towards the notion of matter turning into energy and criticised Einstein’s theory of relativity. Ultracrepidarian exploiting QM terminology = quantum flapdoodle).
- ‘Essential oils are like little magic potions.’ The author makes up for this mystical blunder by following the sentence with the words ‘tiny plant molecules.’
Problem no.8
‘Doctors, scientists, and lawyers are extremely claircognizant... you simply know the answer to things... if you keep thinking about something, there is a reason for it... it is highly likely that you are receiving guidance.’ Meaning bias. And totally disregarding that, generally, these highly intellectual members of society will have a tendency to ‘know the answer to things’ because they’re educated and trained; it’s their job.
Problem no.9
Energy vampires are apparently arrogant young individuals who can’t handle their emotions and suck your energy supply. How am I supposed to take this writer seriously if her ‘scientifically-supported’ knowledge refers to a mythological creature?
Problem no.10
‘The mind tells us [what] is logical and causes us to suppress the ancient wisdom that is held within our hearts.’ And apparently being ‘highly sceptical... always feeling as though there has to be a logical or ‘rational’ meaning for something is a sign of being ungrounded’. This roundabout reasoning is begging the question; providing farfetched information and justifying it by criticising our natural instinct to question. The author made sure to back this claim by citing Stephen Sinatra MD, a cardiologist who specialises in CAM and advocates grounding. There are studies that have cited proof of its efficacy, but it has been highly criticised for its ‘atrocious’ methodology and questionable results. And here, ladies and gentlemen, we have the theatre of science outside the realms of scientific method; citing a bit of ‘science’ from someone sciencey, garbling the definition of ‘negative’ whilst condemning something entirely essential: Critical. Thinking.
Problem no.11
The sources backing the entire premise of this book are questionable and quite frankly comical. The book is full of unverified statements but nonetheless seduce the reader with scientific promise, such as this example: ‘scientists believe empaths to have very sensitive mirror neurons.’ Of the 18 direct quotes used, 9 of them are from unknowns. The others can be generalised as exploiters of the appeal to nature fallacy movement - otherwise known as the $4.2 trillion new-age ‘wellness’ industry. And I use the present tense because, for those who have died, their destructive pseudo-profound bullshit continues to spread beyond the grave. Upon further investigation, I noticed that the very bios provided by these individuals were an instant indicator of charlatanism; mix new-age jargon with a few familiar words and voila; esoteric quackery disguised in scientific garb. Examples:
Shakti Gawain - a famous author who claimed the new-age fatalistic idea that positive thoughts could change physical matter. A classic example of ultracrepidarian practice; convincing terminally ill patients to heal ‘naturally’ by thinking it, and oh, that obviously you got that ill by thinking too negatively.
Paulina Sarafin - claims to specialise in ‘Spirit Whispering. Energy healing through Christ Consciousness, focusing on mental-spiritual trauma, soul loss, holographic imprint removal’.
Natalie Pachel - straight from the horse’s mouth: ‘What I do: Inspiration is the source of innovation. It is where ideas are birthed. It is the state in which we create. It is the way we shift and grow. In an inspired state we are open to everything and anything seems possible, indeed anything is possible. I work in an inspired state and therefore am open to all possibilities. Intuition is knowledge or feeling that is independent from what we perceive. It is a universal truth outside of circumstances. When read and followed correctly it is incredibly powerful. I work in an intuitive state and therfore am open to incredible power. I use a wide range of skills, methods and modalities within this framework that will enable us to take the leap to the next level. It's nothing you don't have access to, in fact, all I do is help you to access it yourself. I started this business because I enjoy helping people to transform their lives. Whether you feel highly successful, or stuck in a rut, the perspective that you need to step into more is here for you. Now. There is no one quite like you. I want to see what you and only you are capable of. When you go the next level, I do. If this sounds like a trip that you would like to go on then let's go.’
For £75 every 30 minutes, I’m still not certain what I’m paying for?
John Welwood - Buddhist, psychotherapist, and transpersonal psychologist. Transpersonal psychology = unmeasurable and subsequently untestable.
Frederick Lenz - spiritual teacher, author, record producer, and… cult leader.
Caroline Myss - a ‘medical intuitive’ who had to drop her false Ph.D. in ‘Intuition and Energy medicine’. ‘Energy medicine’ is based on mysticism and pseudoscience.
Biowell - sells a scanner to measure your ‘leaky chakra’. ‘The image, which we create in Bio-Well instrument, is based on idea of Acupuncture points concept and verified by 20 years of clinical experience by hundreds of practitioners with many thousands of patients. The scanning process is quick, easy and non-intrusive... do it daily for best results! Get real time feedback on what factors - positive and negative - affect your stress and energy state.’
If you’re interested, you can get the scanner for $1899. Still yet to find the ‘20 years of clinical experience’ from hundreds of practitioners and those thousands of patients…
Ilchi Lee - another pseudoscientific cult leader making money from the dysrationalia.
Dr Mehmet - a tv personality, professor and surgeon, who was awarded the Pigasus Award for his global promotion of quackery. A few years ago, Columbia University was beseeched by over 1,300 doctors to remove this ‘Dr’ from the vice-chair of the Department of Surgery.
Problem no.1029283838
There were more problems, but alas I have better things to do with my time. My conclusion: if the synopsis uses the Forer effect; a vague set of shotgunning Barnum statements aimed at relating to anyone who happens to come across this book: avoid. I’ll end this review just as the author does in the book: she claims that we all have the ability to create any reality we desire because we are ‘magicians.’ And for once, I agree. The only way you could achieve her claims would be to deceive oneself, because that’s just what magicians do: illude.
"Alternative medicine, then, is at best useless and at worst positively damaging, not just medically but to our collective understanding of science. By encouraging followers to cling to these delusions, advocates of alternative medicine denigrate the enormous strides we as a species have made over the past century or so in understanding the world around us and how our bodies work.” Grimes
June 26, 2019
This little book is such a delight! It has deep discussions of all aspects of empathy - personal, social, psychological, physical, and scientific as well. The author discusses everything from grounding meditations to chakra balancing to journaling to help with empathy development/containment. I have it bookmarked in several places and will be using it often as a reference. I learned so much about myself and my gifts/challenges as an empath. I highly recommend this book to not only empaths, but anyone highly emotional or sensitive to emotions of themselves and others.
December 27, 2019
The best empath's guide to happy and balanced life. This book is great for those beginning on their spiritual awakening or those that are very sensitive to energy and people. I found the book to contain a good balance of information vs exercises. Even though I didn't consider myself a beginner and had previous knowledge in some of the healing modalities, there were still some very useful points and worksheets that gave me a lot of clarity. I'd highly recommend this book, it's definitely a useful tool to use as a reference.
October 15, 2019
So much useful information. Food for thought...
September 28, 2021
great work book, informative and really helped give me clarity and understanding of myself, gave good advice on self care for empaths.
Read
October 15, 2022A little too kooky for me, but light
February 21, 2023
Too much aura energy and meditation for my liking, I did enjoy the chapter about boundaries but nothing else was practical for me. I wish they made it more clear in the name and description that this is a very spiritual book as I was looking for practical advice and tips. Not “rooting myself to the core of the earth” to help relax.
January 2, 2023
Very helpful workbook for people just realizing they are empaths.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews