AIMS: This paper considers in outline the complexity of the empathic process from subjective, philosophical and psychological perspectives, and suggests that compassionate empathy is a core requirement of a person-centred approach to health care delivery. Empathy is facilitated by secure attachments in infancy (intersubjectivity) and a subsequent firm sense of self and personal identity. Empathic understanding is enhanced by the medical humanities, but the neglect of musical appreciation in this regard is surprising. CONCLUSIONS: The biopsychosocial model is reviewed, and a body-mind-spirit paradigm is proposed as a more optimal framework for health care delivery in a multicultural society.
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