Lunch and Learn with Dr. Amy McConnell Franklin

Focus of Discussion:
Empathy, a core skill of emotional intelligence, change making and leadership

Amy McConnell Franklin, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed.
Taos, New Mexico

Amy is a regionally and internationally known teacher and thought leader in the field of emotional intelligence (EI). Emotional intelligence – the ability to accurately recognize, assess and adaptively and empathetically respond to emotions in self and others, to navigate and utilize emotions to create more expansive mood states and more consciously use emotions to motivate, plan and maintain moods that lead towards worthwhile outcomes – is an essential skill set leading to behavior that is more considerate and respectful of the inner experience of self and others.

Since 2003 Amy has taught these skills and concepts to hundreds of educators and parents as well as students, kindergarten through University, from Singapore to Questa, Swaziland to Santa Fe, in order to co-create a more peaceful and sustainable world both inside and out. In the past several years she has brought her expertise to the field of health care education helping health care providers build EI skills in self -awareness, clarity of intention, empathy and an increased sense of choice so that they can more often make optimal decisions and create and sustain more mutually respectful relationships with self, patients, colleagues and others. As an educator and activist specializing in the concepts and skills of EI, Amy has been a pioneer in the field and looks forward to more explicitly articulating the common ground between mindfulness and emotional intelligence.