If we talk about the quality of empathy, or a social health care not based on prejudices, but on the ability to welcome, understand, connect with people from their own perspective, then what we are talking about prosocial skills.

Prosocial communication is preventive of violence, abuse and is restorative of aggression. How to know if our communication style is prosocial?

Based on scientific evidence and the experience of previous European projects, the SWITCH partner MIRADA LOCAL – LIPA has determined a list of 8 aspects of self-evaluation that can help any professional to determine the empathic quality of the relationship established with transgender people.

This checklist is a useful self-assessment that can determine strengths and weaknesses of one’s own professional care for transgender people and is an aid in identifying weaknesses that should be reinforced with awareness, training and more experience.

  1. Do I make sure that the trans-person feels that I am listening carefully, verbally and non-verbally? Do I listen with serenity?
  2. Do I give feedback paraphrasing what my patients have told me?
  3. Do I make the cognitive effort to understand why my patient thinks the way the person thinks?
  4. Do I try to empower the trans person in their own point of view (and not mine) to be able to continue a dialogue in which they feel in a situation of horizontality-equality and not of inferiority?
  5. Do I confirm the trans person in their value as a person, calling the person by the name that the person identifies with? Do I accept the positive or negative person´s emotions?
  6. Do I avoid undervaluing, considering obvious, or downplaying what the person is saying or trying to say?
  7. Do I recognize and validate with conviction that the trans-person is someone with their proper resources to be able to move forward?
  8. Do I have a respectful attitude towards the decision of the other person to start a transition process in gender identity?