Reviewed by Michael Gardner for Readers' Favorite

Not long ago, my partner suggested I read an article titled ‘The Top 10 Traits of an Empath.’ Expecting I was about to read about the psionic abilities of characters like Deanna Troi from Star Trek, I was gobsmacked by what it said. I felt like it had been written about me (because it had). Naturally, when Empath Workbook by Alison L. Alverson appeared in the RF review list, I snapped up a copy. So, this is a rather personal review for me to write, because being an empath is both a gift and a curse. We have a tendency to not want to talk about it or reveal it to others, as it leaves us feeling exposed. Anyone who is or knows an empath will sympathize. We feel emotions acutely, and, consequently, need regular self-examination to learn to manage ourselves better. So, any workbook that offers useful advice, tips, and techniques gets a big emotional thumbs-up from me.

Beginning with a true or false list to identify if you’re an empath (I ticked ‘true’ to all ten), Empath Workbook by Alison L. Alverson goes on to help you understand the type and extent of your empathic traits. That was the first learning curve for me, seeing as there are six distinct types of empaths in the world. What follows is a very useful mix of information about each topic, with a discussion of each technique for coping with having this ability. Each topic begins with a thorough explanation to help you understand each point, followed by various techniques, prompts for subjects to write about in a journal, and useful tips to keep you on track. I found the section about toxic relationships particularly confronting as the unwary empath is an easy victim for this kind of relationship. As an empath who has spent a considerable amount of time learning techniques to cope, I learned many, many more from this excellent workbook and would recommend it most highly to any empath at any stage of their journey to understand themselves better.