New Books Network Empathy Takes Action: An Autistic Therapist on the Radical Work of Connection
Apr 30, 2026
Aimee Cliff, a London-based psychotherapist and writer focused on neurodiversity and empathy, reframes empathy as a practiced skill rather than an innate trait. She explores five pillars of empathy, critiques outdated autism myths, and discusses how empathy intersects with power, embodiment, and sustained effort. Short, clear, and provocative conversations about doing the work to connect.
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Empathy Is A Chosen Practice
- Empathy is a practice you choose, not an innate trait tied to a single brain circuit.
- Aimee Cliff rejected the stereotype that autistic people lack empathy after researching theory-of-mind flaws and her own counseling training experience.
Empathy Has Five Pillars
- Empathy lacks a single agreed definition and is used to mean understanding, caring, prediction, or emotional contagion.
- Cliff synthesizes five pillars to capture empathy's complexity: humble, embodied, amoral, radical, and work.
Ask Instead Of Assuming
- Practice humility by checking assumptions and asking people how they feel instead of trying to 'read minds.'
- Cliff contrasts theory-of-mind myths with an approach that asks curious questions to understand someone's experience.
