Are ENFJs Empaths? (A Complete Guide)

In this complete guide, we will answer the question: Are ENFJs Empaths?. We will also look at other interesting aspects of the ENFP personality type.

Are ENFJs Empaths?

Yes, individuals belonging to the ENFJ personality type tend to be very empathic.

ENFJ Empathy

Empathy can be loosely described as the ability to place oneself in another person’s position. Empathy allows a person to feel and experience what someone else is feeling. The ENFJ personality type is known for its high receptiveness to another person’s feelings. The ENFJ person does not have to try to understand another person. This ability comes to them naturally. It is often an unconscious process. The ENFJ person does not even realize when they are soaking up the emotions of the people around them. These individuals are extroverted feelers. This allows them to be aware of the emotions of others.

It is not uncommon for an ENFJ to feel moved by the distress a stranger might be experiencing. Typically, the ENFJ strives to maintain harmony in situations. Therefore, when their environment is rife with anger, sadness, and hurt; the ENFJ person cannot escape intense feelings. They find it hard to detach themselves from the feelings of others. Until harmony has been reinstated in their environment, the ENFJ person will continue to feel all these emotions strongly.

To the ENFJ, this ability to empathize stands as a boon and a bane. It makes them highly receptive to the feelings of others. They are adept at telling when a person is in distress. Their ability to empathize makes them very supportive individuals, offering their help and encouragement. They are more likely to understand you, while others may not.

They see possibilities in every situation. Where one may not see a way out, the ENFJ personality will chart out multiple pathways. When someone is in distress, they offer their support in helping them find a way out of the situation.

The ENFJ person believes in each individual’s potential. This allows them to understand the varying needs of each person. Hence, while offering support, keeping this in mind, they will find a way to encourage and support you in a manner that works well for you.

Their ability to empathize allows them to excel in careers like counseling, philosophy, healthcare. According to the MBTI manual, they favor occupation/ fields “ that allows them to help others with their emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth”. 

Empathy Burnout

There are two sides to a coin. Similarly, there are two sides to the ENFJ empathy. On one hand, it allows them to forge a deep understanding of others’ emotions and feelings. On the downside, the ENFJ can feel overwhelmed due to the intense emotions they experience. Their emotional radars are receptive to even the minutest emotions in others. An unconscious process, the ENFJ does not even realize when they are absorbing the emotions of another person. If their external environment is in a state of distress, their internal environment is in a state of pandemonium. It is very difficult for the ENFJ to separate themselves from their emotional turbulence in their external environment. This struggle can tantamount to feeling others’ emotions, and constantly running thoughts about how they can help make the situation better. For this reason, many ENFJ might find themselves moved by the news they watch on T.V or the stories they’ve read. The extraverted feeling aspect of their personality allows them to empathize with others. They find it hard to differentiate their own feelings from that of others.

For the ENFJ, harmony is very important. They will strive to maintain peace and harmony in every situation. Often times in the process of doing so, they might neglect their own feelings and needs. It is paramount to the ENFJ to ensure peace and harmony in their external environment for them to feel at peace within.

Extraverted feeling is the dominant function of the ENFJ. Resultantly, they are in their space when they are able to manage the emotions of others. They are very adept at helping others manage their emotions.

How to Cope With Empathy Burnout?

It can be draining for the ENFJ. They are able to sense what others might be feeling. They want to help the person in need. However, when they are unable to do so, the ENFJ person might feel emotionally exhausted.

It is important for them to establish boundaries in their life. The ENFJ person wants to help everyone. Their compassion is a remarkable quality. However, in the process of being there for everyone, they might end up ignoring their own needs. Hence, it is important for the ENFJ to take a step back and safeguard their own well-being.

No doubt, the ENFJ may often feel in their space when they are managing the emotions of others. Empathy comes naturally to the ENFP. Yet, they are very susceptible to experiencing empathy burnout at some point. It is paramount for the ENFJ to detach themselves from the situation. The events in their external environment, strongly influence their internal environment. In the presence of intense negative emotions, the ENFJ will be distressed. It is important for them to take a step back as a means to safeguard their own mental wellbeing. Talking to a friend might be helpful.

These extroverted feelers find it difficult to separate their own emotions from that of others. They find themselves struggling in a mumbo-jumbo of intense emotions. It is important to delve into understanding their own emotions. For the ENFJ, writing about these emotions might be helpful. In what works as a feedback mechanism, by putting their emotions out into the external environment, they are able to feed it back into their internal environment through the Extraverted Feeling function (psychologyjunkie.com)

Some famous ENFP personalities who were known for their empathy:

• Mother Teresa
• Mahatma Gandhi
• Maya Angelou
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• Pope Francis

ENFJ Personality Type – Strengths

Individuals belonging to this personality type are adept at ensuring peace and harmony in a situation. They are master peace-keepers!

They are known for their confident communication style. They are able to put their thoughts into words with great ease. They can converse proficiently in diverse settings; from small crowds to larger gatherings.

The ENFJ person is great at persuading people. They are able to get people to do what they want them to. However, the ENFJ intention is not manipulation or personal gain. It is generally to benefit people or help them notice their potential.

ENFJ individuals make for great leaders. they can motivate people. They thrive in situations that allow them to work towards implementing change in society. they have a beautiful way while engaging with people. Their personalities are replete with a sense of idealism that allows them to see the potential in people around them.

ENFJ Personality Type – Weaknesses

They can be very selfless. So much so, that they lose sight of their own needs and desires. They tend to prioritize others over themselves.

The ENFJ person finds trouble saying “no”. They tend to say “yes” to every situation that comes their way. This is partly due to their openness to the many opportunities that life has to offer. However, in the process of over-committing, they end up with more than they can handle. They end up starting tasks without being able to finish all of them.

The ENFJ person may find it hard to make decisions that require them to leave their heart out. They struggle with impersonal reasoning.

If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.

Conclusion

In this blog we answered the question: Are ENFJs Empaths?. We delved into understanding the different sides of the ENFJ empathy. We also looked at some interesting aspects of the ENFJ personality type.

If you’ve enjoyed the ”Are ENFJs Empaths?” mentioned above, I would recommend you to take a look at ”Are ENFJs Fake?” too.

Frequently Asked Questions: Are ENFJs Empaths?

References

ENFJ Empathy: How Well the ENFJ Empathizes With Others