The Empath’s Survival Guide Course and Free Video Program by Judith Orloff, MD

“When I was growing up, I didn’t have any resources to explain the needs that came with exceptional sensitivity—and neither did my parents or teachers.

“I ended up turning to drugs and self-numbing strategies that nearly cost me my life before I finally found help.

“Since then, I’ve become a physician, psychiatrist, researcher, and intuitive healer, and I have made a special point of studying the needs and gifts of empaths and highly sensitive people.”

Free Webinar

In connection with the course, publisher Sounds True is offering an ongoing free webinar- “Being an Empath Today.”

Here is a brief excerpt of the audio – the full webinar is a video:

Learn more and register for Being an Empath Today.

Dr. Orloff also notes:

“While empaths have an unusual ability to connect with others at a deep level, we also run the risk of becoming tired and ill when we’re around toxic people, noise, or intense emotions.”

From the site for her online course :

*Note – The above is an affiliate link (and perhaps others on this page), so the company pays me a commission, if you choose to make a purchase. There is no extra cost to you. See details below the end of this article.

The course includes these sections:

SESSION FOUR – Empaths, Love, and Sex: How Sensitive People Can Cultivate Healthy Relationships
“Dr. Orloff reveals how we can protect our sensitivities, set healthy boundaries, and authentically express our needs.”

SESSION FIVE – Protection Techniques for Empaths: Dealing with Narcissists and Other Energy Vampires
“The seven types of energy vampires and how to recognize them.
The toxic attraction between empaths and narcissists.
Strategies to deal with an emotional hangover after you’ve been with draining people.”

Sadie Frost in Dracula 1992

Psychiatrist Judith Orloff explains:

“Energy vampires are people who suck our energy dry. Everyone can benefit from skills on how to cope with them.”

She adds, “You can especially benefit if you are an ‘intuitive empath’ who absorbs the pain and negativity of others into your body, and become exhausted by it.

“Our relationships are governed by a give and take of energy. Some people make us more electric or at ease. Yet others suck the life right out of us.”

[Photo: Sadie Frost as one of the seductive vampires in Bram Stoker’s Dracula 1992.]

Here are a few of the questions from “Are You An Empath?” – a quiz related to the course:

Here is the full list of questions from her book The Empath’s Survival Guide :

Ask yourself the following questions:

Have I been labeled as “overly sensitive,” shy, or introverted?
Do I frequently get overwhelmed or anxious?
Do arguments or yelling make me ill?
Do I often feel like I don’t fit in?
Am I drained by crowds and need alone time to revive myself?
Am I over stimulated by noise, odors, or non-stop talkers?
Do I have chemical sensitivities or can’t tolerate scratchy clothes?
Do I prefer taking my own car places so I can leave early if I need to?
Do I overeat to cope with stress?
Am I afraid of becoming suffocated by intimate relationships?
Do I startle easily?
Do I react strongly to caffeine or medications?
Do I have a low pain threshold?
Do I tend to socially isolate?
Do I absorb other people’s stress, emotions, or symptoms?
Am I overwhelmed by multitasking and prefer doing one thing at a time?
Do I replenish myself in nature?
Do I need a long time to recuperate after being with difficult people or energy vampires?
Do I feel better in small cities or the country than large cities?
Do I prefer one-to-one interactions or small groups rather than large gatherings?

Calculate your results:

If you answered yes to one to five questions, you’re at least partially an empath.
Responding yes to six to ten questions means you have moderate empathic tendencies.
Responding yes to eleven to fifteen means you have strong empathic tendencies.
Answering yes to more than fifteen questions means that you are a full blown empath.

The course page asks:

‘Have you ever been told you need to “toughen up,” “grow a thick skin,” or “stop being so sensitive?”

‘If so, you’re not alone. That’s why Dr. Judith Orloff has created The Empath’s Survival Guide Online Course.’

Learn more about the program: