Empathy and the Roots Behind It: Using our Brains to Parent with Heart

More important than the competing theories in the field of neuroscience, however, are the implications of what empathy is, how we as humans manifest empathy, and how developing empathy simultaneously allows us to be self-aware and reflective. We will further explore the unique -- and sometimes frustrating -- ways that the trajectory of brain development, up to and through adolescence, influences the intensity and tone of parent-child relationships. How can we, as adults in the lives of the children we nurture and love, rely on our own empathy to navigate the complexities of these relationships?