Empathy is considered a key condition for an effective outcome of the therapeutic process in many psychotherapeutic approaches. A number of transactional analysis authors have stressed the importance of empathy and empathic transactions. This quantitative study aimed to test the hypothesis that levels of therapist empathy increase with professional training and work experience. A comparative analysis of data obtained from more than 100 practitioners with experience ranging from 1 month to 15 years did not confirmed this hypothesis. In response, the authors have formulated a way to differentiate professional empathy as a trained skill and personal empathy as a personality trait. Directions for future exploration are outlined.
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