Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dr. Andre Caruso. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Dr. Andre , thank you so much for joining us today. There are so many topics we could discuss, but perhaps one of the most relevant is empathy because it’s at the core of great leadership and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your empathy?
As a Psychologist and Behavior and Mindset coach, empathy is one of the main things I teach and speak about. Empathy is one of the most important traits we can have as humans. Unfortunately, it is also fairly misunderstood. A common misconception about empathy is that it always involves feeling the same emotions as another person. However, empathy is NOT simply mirroring the emotions or sharing some of the same feelings as another person. It is really just understanding that others have different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, and taking that into account. This does not require one to agree with nor experience them in the same way. We just need to remember that we are not all the same. I learned a few things through my years of working with people from different cultures, religions, socioeconomics, gender identity, sexual orientation, political leanings, etc. That we are very similar in a lot of ways, however we are also very unique. If you add in childhood/life experiences, exposure to diversity, social interactions, education and so on, you realize that there are infinite combinations that can make up one individual. It is impossible to have all those same thoughts and experiences as another person. Which is why I’ve learned that regardless of the situation, employing empathy is one thing we can do for every person and is one of the most important traits to have.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
So much like one of my logos, I am a bit of a unicorn. Growing up I always enjoyed helping others and even did peer counseling way back in middle school. So naturally, I wound up in the restaurant/hospitality business for 2 decades, lol. While I loved the business, I knew I wanted to make a bigger impact and decided to chase my initial passion. So, back to school, I went to become the Clinical Psychologist that I am today. My journey after college was also unique. I was the Director of Training shaping the minds of interns and practicum students from multiple local colleges, psychology programs. To the COO of a mental health, non-profit organization and the Vice Principal of a school for special needs children. Between my clinical training and my years of training and development, I knew there had to be a way to combine psychology, my expertise in behavior change and years of business leadership, to have a greater impact.
So, in 2018, I opened my therapy practice The Psychological Health And Therapy Center. The PHAT Center is a group private practice that provides a full range of mental health services. Here I mostly focus on behavior changes and assisting those that wish to explore their identities. Whether that is professionally, personally, sexually and/or gender.
My goal is and has always been to help as many people as I can, in the best way possible. I knew there had to be a way to help even more people and allow me to use my business skills along with my psychological training. So a few years later along with my business partner JB, an expert in his own right, IVOLVE Performance and Development by JB and The Doctor was born. At IVOLVE Performance and Development we assist both individuals and corporation teams. Our individualized coaching is geared to service based professionals and entrepreneurs, wanting to evolve to the next level. Our innovative, improv style corporate training system is geared to help teams with improving their soft skills, like EQ/XQ, confidence and communication. We also hold workshops, are keynotes speakers and host our quarterly IVOLVE Networking events. You can also hear us weekly on our podcast, The Entrepreneur Mastery Lab
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The 3 qualities/skills I believe have served me well throughout my journey, and have helped lead to where I am today are Awareness, Adaptation and Patience.
My awareness was really developed during my time in the restaurant business. I always had a knack for identifying a potential issue before it could arise into a fire that needed to be extinguished. Over the years I honed this skill along with empathy (which I mentioned earlier to be one of the most important things we all need) to better assist the folks I work with and to help identify issues that others may be struggling with.
Adaptation is a key to survival. As a species we have been adapting for hundreds of thousands of years. We can only control so many variables in a given situation, so I focus on those I can and adjust and adapt to the rest. This skill has served me well. Our ability to adapt and evolve is a great predictor of success.
Patience is a quality I possess and have turned into a practiced skill. Empathy is a big help in having patience with others, and can go a long way in building good, strong relationships. However, having patience with one’s self is where I see an even greater value. Giving yourself some grace and not adding undue pressure can help you thrive. Things take time, you are only one person. Create that mindset, be patient with others, most importantly have patience with yourself!
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
Overwhelm happens to the best of us. One thing I focus on is regaining some semblance of balance. Balance doesn’t necessarily mean 50/50. Balance looks different for every person. Finding your own sweet spot is a process and an ongoing adjustment. Start with employing a self care activity you can during the overwhelm. It may be a walk, or a chat with a friend, or even getting lost in a song. Sometimes just taking a few breaths can help. Start with a small action, and build upon it as you are able, the last thing you want to do is add more self imposed stress. Have patience and grace with yourself. Self care is super important for your mind and body.
Awesomeness is Achieved Through a Healthy Mind!
Contact Info:
- Website: dacpacs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drandrecaruso/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drandrecaruso/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/JBandTheDoctor
- Other: https://linktr.ee/drandrecaruso
