Are You An Empath? Here’s How To Tell And What It Means

In the age of self-discovery and development, we’re all hungry to learn more about who we are and who we can become. An empath is someone who has unique insight into the world through an intuitive “sixth sense.” Let’s take a deeper look at what an empath is, the different types of empath, how to tell if you’re an empath, and how to become more empathetic.

Jump to:

• What is an empath?
• What are the pros and cons of being an empath?
• How many types of empaths are there?
• The 7 types of empath
• Intuitive Empath
• Signs of an empath
• How to be more empathetic

What is an Empath?

An empath is someone who picks up information based on what others are feeling or experiencing.

There are different types of empaths, each with their own unique energetic perceptions.  Some of these sensitive people tune into the feelings of other humans while others tap into plants or animals, for example. 

The most common type of empath, the emotional empath, picks up on the emotional experiences of others. When someone in their awareness is feeling sad, mad, jealous, embarrassed, etc, an emotional empath will feel those feelings inside their own bodies – even if the other person isn’t overtly expressing those emotions. 

Empaths tend to have strong intuition, be excellent listeners, and have an innate ability to connect with others.

We’ll take a closer look at the seven types of empaths down below. These are the intuitive empath, the emotional empath, the physical empath, the plant empath, the earth empath, the animal empath, and the mirror empath. 

What are the pros and cons of being an empath?

Although being an empath is an inherently positive thing that allows for greater connection and compassion, it can be burdensome for some people until they learn how to manage their abilities.

Pros

There are many profound benefits of being an empath that lead to strong interpersonal connection and a confident inner compass.

Instant connection with new people

Empaths are great at meeting people wherever they’re at emotionally, making it easy to connect and bond with new people. Not to mention, empaths are great at tapping into positive emotions (as well as negative) meaning they feel a boost of positive energy when other people are feeling good. 

Ability to pick up on subtle cues

Empaths are great at understanding the subtext of conversations and picking up on what’s not being said. This is a valuable skill in all types of communication and especially during negotiations.

Close relationships

Since empaths are able to relate to almost anyone by picking up on others’ emotions, it can be very easy for people with high empathy to create close, intimate relationships. People often feel very “seen” and understood by empaths. Unfortunately, the downside is that empaths might easily feel overwhelmed or suffocated by intimate relationships due to their inability to separate their partner’s feelings from their own.

Strong gut feelings

Empaths, when they’re tuned into their abilities, tend to have a strong sense of intuition. This can be almost like a superpower – picking up on the energies of others to glean information about situations. This almost psychic ability allows empaths to have strong gut feelings and inclinations about things before they happen.

Cons

Highly empathic people need to stay vigilant of the external stimuli they’re around, and take care of their inner world by spending time alone with their own feelings. If you’re an empathetic person, remember to take care of your own needs just as much as you do the needs of others. You can’t pour from an empty cup!

Sensory overload

Some empaths aren’t aware of their empathic ability or haven’t learned how to separate their own emotions from the emotions of others yet. This can lead to a highly sensitive person feeling sensory overload when subjected to the energy of other people. 

Taking on the pain of others

Empaths are like emotional sponges which can become draining and even damaging to mental health. Empaths regularly need to practice self-care to make sure that they’re not taking on too much negative energy from others and still feel safe inside their own mind and body.

Codependency or toxic relationships

Unfortunately, unaware empaths may have a hard time setting healthy boundaries since they don’t have a clear distinction between what feelings belong to them and what feelings belong to others. This lack of boundaries has the potential to lead highly empathetic people into toxic or codependent relationships. 

Knowing “too much”

Empaths are very good at reading between the lines and picking up on what’s *not* being said. This can be anxiety-inducing and make everyday conversation feel heavy with subtext (even when they’re not). Sometimes picking up on the true emotions and intentions of others can feel like more information than we really want to know.

How Many Types of Empaths Are There?

There is no official list of the different types of empaths. Empaths come in various types, each with its own set of abilities and sensitivities. Since being an empath isn’t a clinical diagnosis or something that can be scientifically measured, there is a lot of speculation about how widespread empathic abilities are and how many unique types exist. 

However, there are 7 well-known types of empaths that we can look at in more detail. Some of the most common types include emotional empaths, physical empaths, plant empaths, geomantic empaths (earth empaths), animal empaths, and mirror empaths (Heyoka empaths).

The 7 Types of Empaths

Intuitive Empath

An intuitive empath combines the traits of intuition and empathy, creating a unique set of abilities. Intuitive empaths have the ability to feel others’ emotions and to intuit the stories and background attributed to those feelings.

Intuitive empathy has the potential to create deep connection and instantly turn strangers into good friends. 

This type of empath is sometimes also called a Psychic Empath or Claircognizant Empath because it seems like just by looking at a person, these empaths can “download” information about their life, their past, their motives etc. If an intuitive empath isn’t aware of his or her abilities, this onslaught of information can be very overwhelming and confusing since they will assume the feelings and intuitions are the result of something in their own experience. 

Only becoming an aware empath can turn this anxiety-inducing experience into somewhat of a psychic superpower. 

Are Intuitive Empaths Rare?

While there is no concrete statistical data on the prevalence of intuitive empaths, their unique combination of intuitive and empathic abilities sets them apart.

Some intuitive empaths may go their whole lives without realizing their psychic ability. These sensitive individuals will likely have a hard time setting healthy boundaries and will feel exhausted by social situations, without fully understanding why. With this in mind, there are likely many more intuitive empaths in the world than we know of.

What is an Intuitive Person? Is it the same as an intuitive empath?

An intuitive empath is always an intuitive person, but a person with strong intuition isn’t necessarily an intuitive empath.

An intuitive person is someone who has a deep sense of knowing or understanding about things without conscious reasoning or concrete proof. Highly intuitive individuals rely on their inner feelings and instincts to guide them through various situations, often making decisions based on their gut feelings.

An intuitive empath combines this heightened intuition with their ability to pick up on others’ feelings – creating a rich understanding of someone’s personal story.

It’s important to understand that all human beings have the “sixth sense” of intuition – some are just more in touch with their inner knowing and have honed the skill further. When we say “I have a bad feeling about this,” or “My gut is telling me I shouldn’t,” or “Somehow I just knew,” these are all examples of our intuition at play.

(Related: 10 Things You’re Probably Doing That Cloud Your Intuition)

Emotional Empath

An emotional empath is someone who can tune into the emotions of another person and feel that person’s emotions as their own.

These empaths can sense not only the obvious emotions of others but also the internal energies privately expressed by people’s feelings. 

Being able to feel other people’s emotions as their own, emotionally empathic people tend to be excellent at connecting with others and having compassion for their stories – even when they’re very different from their own. They can feel the joy, sadness, excitement, or anxiety of those in their vicinity. This heightened emotional sensitivity can be both a blessing and a challenge, as emotional empaths may find themselves overwhelmed by the negative emotions of others.

To some degree, we are all emotional empaths. Scientists have long since known about cells in the human brain called “mirror neurons,” which allow us to feel physical and emotional sensations in our own bodies when we witness them happening in others. Emotional empaths may have more mirror neurons than the average person and is able to pick up on energetic cues from others outside of their body language or facial expressions. 

Physical Empath

Just like emotional empaths feel the emotions of others, physical empaths can feel the physical symptoms of others inside their own body.

Whether it’s pain, discomfort, or illness, physical empaths can feel the bodily experiences of those around them. This ability often extends to being able to understand the overall well-being of individuals through their physical energy.

Many physical healers like bodyworkers, massage therapists, physical therapists, etc. are physical empaths. 

People who are unaware of this empathic ability may experience sympathetic illnesses – picking up the ailments of those around them. Physically empathetic people need to be careful not to take on illnesses that are not “their own.” This is a great example of why it’s important to become an aware empath as someone who picks up the feelings of others.

Plant Empath

For plant empaths, the connection with nature goes beyond appreciation – it involves a deep understanding of the emotions and energies of flora. 

This kind of empath can sense the well-being of plants, communicate with them on an energetic level, and may even feel the distress of plants subjected to unfavorable conditions. 

Do you know any “plant moms” or “plant dads” who have an inexplicable green thumb? It’s very possible that even if they’re not aware of it, these people have empathic communication with their plants.

Earth Empath (Geomantic Empath)

Earth empaths, also known as geomantic empaths, have a profound connection with the Earth that allows them to feel the energies of the landscape: mountains, forests, bodies of water, etc.

Likewise, Earth empaths can be deeply affected by natural disasters, environmental issues, or even social issues that impact the natural world. 

Geomantic empaths often experience a sense of grounding and tranquility when in natural environments.

Animal Empath

Animal empaths share a bond with the animal kingdom at a deeper level than most of us. They can understand and connect with the emotions of animals, often sensing their needs, feelings, and intentions. 

Animal empaths may find solace and joy in the company of animals, experiencing a meaningful symbiotic relationship. People whose mental health benefits from the company of a support animal likely share an empathic nature with animals. Interestingly, we often see an empathetic nature coming from animals as well. Many of us have been lucky enough to have a pet that picks up on our emotions and seems to want to comfort us when we’re feeling down.

This empathic connection with animals can be powerful for both the human and the animal, resulting in a close bond and mutual understanding.

Mirror Empath (Heyoka Empath)

Mirror empaths, also known as Heyoka empaths, possess the ability to reflect back the emotions of others – acting as a mirror to help them understand and process what they’re feeling.

“Heyoka” is an indigenous tribal word meaning “sacred clown,” “sacred jester,” or “fool.” This title comes from the fact that a mirror empath can use their gentle humor to serve as a catalyst for self-reflection and growth in those around them. Mirror empaths often play a transformative role in the lives of those they encounter.

Just like for all empaths, it’s very beneficial for a mirror empath to get to know and understand their abilities so that they don’t drown in others’ pain without understanding why. When this empathic ability is harnessed and honed, mirror empathy can be one of the most powerful types, giving these empaths a profound ability to create positive change.

Signs of an empath

If you think you or someone you know is an empath, here are a few dead giveaways that will tell you for sure. If you discover that you are in fact an empath, remember to honor your gift by taking good care of your mental health and well-being. Empaths tend to have a natural inclination to give too much of ourselves to others which ultimately dims our light and isn’t helpful to anyway! With that being said, here are some of the most common signs of an empath.

You find it easy to relate to others

Empaths are good at feeling where others are coming from and being able to relate to their stories. 

You can get overwhelmed in crowded spaces

Big crowds of people carry a lot ​of energetic information. Whether it is positive or negative energy, this extreme amount of input can be confusing or overwhelming for an empath.

You need alone time to recharge

Empaths need time alone to remember who they are and what feelings belong to them. It’s easy for an empaths emotional energy to get sapped up by being around other people for too long and they’ll need to physically remove themselves to recharge.

You have good intuition

Empathy and intuition are related. Do you often have gut feelings about things but you’re not sure why? You might be claircognizantly picking up on the thoughts or emotions of others which gives you insight you wouldn’t otherwise be privy to.

You have a hard time taking sides

​Empaths can have a hard time choosing a side in an argument. It’s easy for them to understand where both parties are coming from – making it uncomfortable to try to decide who is “more” right.

Intimate relationships can feel burdensome

Although empaths are good at creating deep emotional bonds, sometimes these intimate relationships can feel burdensome. Due to the lack of emotional boundaries that empathic people tend to have, they may end up carrying more than their fair share of the emotional weight in a relationship. This might even lead to some empaths avoiding intimacy. 

You take on the emotions of others easily

​Have you ever noticed that you are an emotional sponge? Do you tend to match the vibe of whoever you’re around? This could be a sign of an empathic ability to read and resonate with the emotions of whoever you’re with.

You’re a good listener

Do people tend to come to you with their problems? If you’re an empath, you’re probably a great listener and you’ve noticed that people feel safe in sharing with you.

You’re a magnet for energy vampires

Does it seem like people often take advantage of you emotionally or leave you feeling completely drained? If so, you may be attracting energy vampires. These people need to feed off of the emotions of others and as an (unaware) empath, you may be an easy target for them.

You feel grounded by nature

Empaths tend to have a connection with nature because they’re able to feel the life, energy, growth, vibrancy etc that is always flowing through the nature world. If being in nature helps you to reset and feel more grounded, it may be thanks to an empathic connection.

You feel grounded by animals

​Emotional support animals are a thing for a reason. Many empaths feel grounded and comforted by animals, especially if they have a pet at home. An empathic connection with a pet is mutually beneficial and leaves both parties feeling seen, understood, and loved.

How to be more empathetic

If you don’t think you’re a natural born empath but you can see the benefits of being able to relate to others more deeply, it’s certainly possible to increase your empathy and possibly even develop your empathic abilities. Here are a few tips to help you lean into your empathy and connect more deeply with others.

​Practice active listening

Empathic people are naturally good listeners but it’s not quite as easy for everyone! A great way to boost your empathy is to become a better listener. Ask people more questions about things they’re passionate about. Don’t think about what you’re going to say while someone else is talking. Try to hear everything that someone says and create a vibrant picture in your mind of their experience – this will make their story easier to relate to.

Allow yourself to be vulnerable

Vulnerability is a key ingredient in creating connection and understanding between two people. While being a good listener is important, being willing to participate honestly in conversations is also important. It allows you to naturally find common ground with whoever you’re talking to and common ground breeds empathy.

Step into other people’s shoes

It’s like we always say to little kids, “Put yourself in their shoes!” When we really take a moment to try to imagine what other people have been through, it becomes easier to recall times that you felt similarly. An understanding of what life feels like for someone else is a strong basis for empathy.

Focus on similarities rather than differences

When we think that someone is different from us, we tend to notice all of the things about them that reinforce that belief. True, some people are very different from us, but even those people usually have more in common with us than we think. Try to notice all of the ways that you are similar to people rather than different. It will help you to become more empathetic towards them.

Expand your emotional vocabulary

Words are important. When we have the right words to describe the way we feel, it becomes easier to relate to other people about those feelings. The more emotional vocab words you know, the better equipped you are to empathize with anyone.

Lean into your intuition

Intuition and empathy are closely related. Oftentimes, our intuition can come from information we’re picking up on empathically. If you lean into your intuition (your gut feelings), you may start to notice where that information is coming from and reverse engineer your empathy.

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