Discover the
Impact of Empathy in the San Francisco Bay Area
and around the world!
Welcome to Impact Of Empathy, where compassion meets purpose.
Empathy isn't just kindness—it's the key to better outcomes
​Impact Of Empathy was born from both professional experience and a deeply personal journey. I am Shari Bookstaff, a brain tumor survivor whose life changed overnight. What followed were years of medical procedures, rehabilitation, and learning to navigate the world in a new way. Along the way, I discovered just how profoundly empathy—or the lack of it—shapes a patient’s experience.
​
That realization inspired me to create Impact Of Empathy, an organization dedicated to helping professionals in healthcare, education, public safety, and beyond understand the vital role empathy plays in human connection. Through training and workshops, we are committed to fostering a culture of compassion and support, where people feel truly seen and valued.
​
At Impact Of Empathy, we believe that genuine care and compassion are not just nice-to-haves—they can change lives. Join us on this journey as we strive to make the world a more empathetic and understanding place.
Empathy Unleashed!
Remember, leading with empathy requires no script. There is no right way or wrong way of doing it. It is simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of “You’re not alone”. Empathy is everywhere, and easily expressed. Empathy is looking and seeing, hearing and listening, a kind word, a smile, or even eye contact! Empathy is inside you. Let it out! Our Empathy Training Workshops (book now!) can help you express your inner empathy. Here’s what people are saying.
Staying Positive Through Tough Times
Try these mantras
Get ChaRGD!
-
Focus on what you CAN change.
-
Do the best you can with the resources you have.
-
Modify your goals but stay true to yourself.
-
Don’t be afraid to try something new and difficult.
What is karma?
Have you ever done something really nice for someone and thought "ooh, now I'll have good karma!" Or done something not so nice and were afraid that you'd have bad karma? That's how karma is seen around me. Spiritually, it's much more complicated than simple cause and effect, but it bugs me when someone does something altruistic so they'll have good karma. That way of thinking leads to the inevitable and unanswerable question "Why did this [bad thing] happen to me? What did I do to deserve it?" The only answer, which is tough to accept when you're in the middle of a crisis, is that you didn't do anything wrong, you don't deserve it, and sometimes BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE! There is no answer to the question "Why me"? I say, ask different questions! Also, let's view karma differently. Instead of thinking of karma as something that happens to you, think of it as something you DO. Karma means "action". So, let's do some karma! Think of karma as what you GIVE, not RECEIVE!
WHAT I OFFER
​
Through Impact of Empathy, I provide interactive, engaging workshops and presentations designed to:
-
Inspire your team with powerful stories and lessons
-
Teach practical skills that make empathy part of your culture
-
Strengthen communication and collaboration
-
Improve patient, client, and colleague experiences
Workshops are available online or in person, and I customize each one to fit your group’s needs.
Empathy Edge Course Intro
What will you learn in this course?
​
-
Empathy is a critical component of medical care. When empathy is expressed by a medical professional, patients relax, giving the nurse, doctor, or respiratory therapist the opportunity to do their job more easily.
-
The art of expressing empathy is critical to a happy, productive, and successful practice.
-
Gain skills and learn how to always express empathy
Who should take this course?
​
-
All staff and medical professionals in the healthcare industry should take this course.
-
Offer it to every member of your staff for optimal value.
“The importance of this message cannot be overstated…best Grand Rounds talk of the year!"
JEFFREY SHARON, M.D. OTOLOGY, NEUROTOLOGY, AND SKULL BASE SURGERY, UCSF
When Life Throws You Lemons… Make Cranberry Juice!
Nineteen years ago today, my life changed—dramatically and permanently. To help you understand how I felt in that moment, I’m sharing the preface of my book, When Life Throws You Lemons…Make Cranberry Juice!