Empathy is only effective when it’s balanced with autonomy, critical thinking, and personal agency. Empathy is not acquiescence, it’s presence. It means staying present to the truth of the situation I’m in, and working from within that truth to develop a better outcome. Part of that truth includes a deep respect for my own boundaries and self-worth.

— Laura Killingbeck, Empathy is a Survival Skill, 2024