Being empathetic doesn’t mean feeling sorry for someone, says Thomas McCool, president and chief executive officer of TMC Consulting.
Speaking with Nish Parikh, CEO of Rangam, in an online interactive session on Three-Dimensional Empathy in Disability Inclusion, McCool said, “Empathy means walking in a person’s shoes and feeling what he or she feels.”
McCool is an active campaigner for special needs employment, particularly those on the autism spectrum.
“Empathy allows you to realize what people on the spectrum really need, not guessing what they may need. The ability to listen, understand, and support, are the three most important traits in being empathetic,” McCool stated.
The World Health Organization (WHO), in a 2019 survey, reported that one in every 160 children has autism. While some of them can live independently, others need lifelong support.
“The increase in the number of people on the spectrum,” McCool said, “has led to the need to have people with specific behavioral training in autism. There’s a persistent requirement of behavioral technicians and support persons who will work with children and adults with autism, moving them to a point where they can be employed.”
TMC Consulting uses the innovative learning behavior technique level-1 certificate to train professionals intending to work with people on the spectrum. This reassures insurance companies and families of individuals with autism that the professional is really qualified to offer behavioral training and other support. The qualification also helps the trainer support adults with autism in finding gainful employment.
