How crises can lead to compassion
Despite 1 in 4 residents in UAE knowing someone displaced, the scale of the global crisis is not fully known to them
“This country raises the profile of international events, because it honours the struggles or events from all around the world,” said Dr Tara Wyne, Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Director at The Lighthouse Arabia in Dubai.
She highlighted that in one UAE school alone, there are possibly more than 50 nationalities, which leads to a raised level of awareness about important global events through the little “microcosms of society.”
Discussing compassion in a world that is becoming more violent, Wyne explained that people are impacted by violence around them, even though they are not directly involved.
“Being in an atmosphere of divisiveness and hatred can leave us feeling fearful, and when we are vulnerable, we can become more focused on ourselves, our life, our safety and retreat into a bubble,” she said
“The antidote to anger and aggression and violence is compassion. Firstly, we must work on not shutting down our awareness and empathy for others’ troubles. We must acknowledge how the news of violence and senseless death and destruction affects us. We have to tune into our own responses,” advised Wyne.
“When we pay closer attention, we are more likely to act in ways that are compassionate and support people and lives affected by violence.”
