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The Gift of Empathy

What Readers Are Saying

Empathy is a skill anyone can learn, and The Gift of Empathy lays out principles and practices that empower people to better understand, connect with, and care for family, friends, coworkers, and others you may relate to. Here’s what readers are saying about the book.


“Anyone and everyone can benefit from reading The Gift of Empathy. Even if you already have a good idea of what empathy is, this book will help you understand it at a much deeper level. The lessons here are valuable in every setting, personal and professional, no matter what stage of life you’re in.”

Melissa de Boer | Administrative Assistant | Onalaska, Wisconsin


“Joel Bretscher and Kenneth Haugk strike all the right notes in this engaging, passionate book. The Gift of Empathy provides relatable stories and a clear framework for using empathy to bridge gaps in relationships and bring people together. A profound book for people from all walks of life!”

Jeff Lin | Attorney | Houston, Texas


The Gift of Empathy is a great roadmap for empathizing on a daily basis, giving real-world examples of how to weave these behaviors into our lives. Empathy can be exercised anywhere, anytime—and this book shows how to do it.”

Deidra Greene-Richards | Realtor | Atlanta, Georgia


The Gift of Empathy makes empathy concrete and doable for everyone. We all need to be heard and understood, and this book is a great reminder to intentionally consider how we can set aside our personal agendas to connect with the person in front of us.”

Dave Rueter, Ph.D. | Director of Christian Education | Livermore, California


The Gift of Empathy has given me the confidence to be the kind of empathetic person I want to be. I always thought empathy had to be a huge, grand gesture, but reading this book has shown me that even small moments can have a big impact. It’s just what I’ve been looking for!”

Brenda Gammon | Certified Tumor Registrar | Bangor, Maine


The Gift of Empathy takes a practical approach to teaching this important skill. I used to default to fix-it mode, but I’ve learned how important it is to listen, understand, and care, and I’ve grown a lot in this area thanks to this book. I’m still a work in progress, but using empathy is becoming more and more natural for me!”

Robert Brown | Retired Banker/Fire Marshal | Stuart, Florida


The Gift of Empathy is filled with wonderful information to improve anyone’s relating. There are useful examples of what to do and what pitfalls to avoid, along with chapters on specific kinds of relationships—the one on empathy with children is particularly insightful. It’s an excellent resource.”

Margaret McKinney | Psychologist | Woodland Park, Colorado


“I’ve never found a book that explains empathy and its benefits as well as The Gift of Empathy. It’s an excellent guide that can help anyone build their relational skills. I’ll be reading it over and over again!”

Rev. Chad Wright | Pastor | Utica, Michigan