Typically Fabulous Practical Info From Judith

I am an avid reader of Judith Orloff's writings, and listener of her speaking! I have always known I was an empath, but after experiencing an empathic illness last year when my friend had cancer, I was moved to attend Judith's workshop in Big Sur to try and find out how to deal with this 'gift' that has been given to me. At the time, it honestly did not feel like a gift.

I have read all of her other books and this is the latest and greatest. Everything that I've ever known and learned about being an empath was addressed in this book. This truly is a survival guide. It brings everything together into one place and sorts it all out with these wonderful how-to lists.

I tend to use food to build my armor, to keep me protected from the feelings of the world. After the death of my daughter almost 14 years ago, a couple of relationship fails, several other deaths of people I care about and most recently, my pending divorce, I've been flailing around for a while and feeling rudderless.

Most of the info in this book I knew instinctively, and from years of therapy and Al-Anon, but it's been hard for me to put it all together and pull myself together. Now I feel like my thoughts are more organized and I'm able to move forward.

I've been wanting to start a support group for years and I think it's time to do that.
If you are an empath you must read this book! Judith covers every issue I could have possibly thought of, and there were even some I hadn't thought of!!

This is by far my favorite, and it's always a pleasure, the way that Judith puts her own life experience into her works!!!

75 people found this helpful

Great info.. Bad narration.

Great information but narration is not very inspiring. It sounds like the narrator is being forced to read this work and makes it difficult to continue on for long lengths of time, which is what I'd like to do, but the lackluster monotone timbre of the narrator makes this a chore. Is it really that hard to find good narrators? I guess I'll try just reading the book as this production is too painful to carry on.

58 people found this helpful

fair at best

there are some good nuggets here however, true empaths will find her simplistic. nearly all of her suggested affirmations contain the mistake of adding the word "will" as in "I will learn to be positive". even many who are new to affirmations understand the importance of it being in the now as in "I am positive". they also understand the balance between honoring one's true feeling and experience and an affirmation. this says she's lacking in some rudimentary skills. also, true empaths will feel her ego in her words. it will be clear it is the ego of the author and not the narrator. the author is likely somewhat empathic but not to the level she claims. a sense of boasting comes through occasionally. some of her suggestions in dealing with others are good but some are overtly condescending suggesting she herself may have some qualities which I won't have to explain to an empath. for those who are looking for assistance, not a reason to inflate a needy ego, you will find some good pieces to be plucked here, but you will soon tire of where they are coming from. in addition, she is childlike in her writing and methods. good for some, shallow and lack-luster for deeper or more cerebral types. ultimately, I am glad I made the purchase as I was able to gain some good things from it and that is a reason for thankfulness. not all gifts are perfect or come from completely pure sources, yes? good luck and take care.

53 people found this helpful

it's more of a checklist than a story

if you're unfamiliar with self-help, alternative, or energy medicine this book MIGHT be helpful if you're open to it.
and honestly the best way to help yourself if you're sensitive is to heal your traumas and your triggers.
didn't like: don't like how this is organized or the lack of, it felt more like chapters full of checklists, also the "are you an empath" questionnaires seemed very one-dimensional and shallow, there wasn't much in the way of tools to help those who don't believe in "source" or crystals, etc.
liked: some good tips.
better books: energy vampires by dorothy harbour, energy medicine by donna eden, the sociopath next door by martha stout, the healing code by alexander loyd, the emotion code by bradley nelson, psycho-cybernetics by maxwell malt, the body keeps the score, becoming supernatural by joe dispenza, etc.

45 people found this helpful

''How to shove your problem onto someone''

What disappointed you about The Empath's Survival Guide?

This example from the book quickly demonstrates the overal idea: ''A friend of mine got a phone call that distressed her. Because I am such a sensitive empath, I felt my friend's anger and got distressed myself. After she got off the phone, I had to immediately ask her to never get distressed in my prescence again because I was now very upset''. ARE YOU SERIOUS? This book is a one-way-ticket to ''everything-is-about-me''-world. And if it isn't about you, you MAKE it about you. This writer encourages people to spread out their sensitive toes all over the place and make their problem everyone else's problem. Don't think about other people's feelings, just leave their birthday party early because big groups distress you! Or better yet, don't go at all! You just tell them how hard life is on you because you are sooooooo sensitive as an empath and BAM, you are off the hook for everything. Heck, you should aks a pay raise from your boss because you have still managed to come to work even though you have to deal with all of your 20 000 complicated feelings all day every day!

What character would you cut from The Empath's Survival Guide?

I think this book went way too far and is NOT a good solution for any empath, including myself. Sure it is a good idea to rest and distress, but who doesn't need that? I think it is much too simplistic and even a bit childish to entitle yourself to write other people off as ''emotional vampires''. NOBODY is just an ''emotional vampire'' and definitely not for their own amusement. This society has build up a zero tolerance to any kind of negative emotion and immediately has to run away from it out of fear for ''not feeling good'' 24/7. Guess what? Life is hard and is full of unpleasant surprises and the unpleasant feelings that come along with it. Don't get this book to try and start dealing with it, unless YOU want to become the emotional vampire yourself that will drain everyone else of their fun and glory because you couldn't deal with your own problems and thus had to make them someone else's.

17 people found this helpful

Very informative!

I knew I was an Empath, but didn't realize the extreme extent of all of the different types one could be blessed with at all! I am a bit overwhelmed to have learned I am a highly sensitive empath, with so many traits that it will take me some time to assimilate it all. I appreciate the many tools provided and explained by the author. At least I have a base to start with to help me with many situations and people and my own personal feelings, to keep myself healthy. This book answered questions about myself as a child too! It gave me a sense of "belonging" to a group of unknown friends and some that I do know who are apaths. I would like to start a group but not sure if I know enough people in my circle to do so. I will check out Judith's website for help with that.

15 people found this helpful

So very helpful

This is a complete guide to feel comfortable in your own skin if you are a sensitive and or insightful person. I am finally seeing and embracing my sensitivities as a gift after using some of the protection and energy release methods in this book. Thank you Dr. Orloff for helping me find peace!!

14 people found this helpful

Great for Signs and Symptoms

It is refreshing to have a clinically trained mind speak on the very real struggles of uncontrolled empathic experiences. The way the experiences are described is helpful, but the advice given feels far less beneficial. This is a great book to identify signs of uncontrolled empathic experiences, but the advice on how to navigate the world successfully as an empath is not so great.

11 people found this helpful

Too many sweeping generalizations and judgements

Living as an empath is a very important topic and I was really excited to find a book written by a medical doctor about it! There are many great tools and affirmations here. However I think Dr. Orloff personalized this story too much, making sweeping generalizations about empath that I don't believe apply to the majority of us. It seems like she spends way too much time talking about how to avoid human interaction instead of offering tools to allow us to really work with the world.

9 people found this helpful

Good information available

There's good information available. If you just learned you're an empath, there are a lot of techniques in here to try so you can gain balance. One thing I notice in Dr. Orloff's books is about half of it is about her. I understand the need to connect with an audience by sharing one's experiences, but the books I read by the author tend to go heavy on herself.

8 people found this helpful