Answer to Question 1
Empathy can be conveyed through active listening. Actively feeding back what you believe the message is from the communicator helps that person feel understood. This may include attempting to identify the emotions the other person is feeling. When we feel understood, we also feel a sense of connection and closeness.
Answer to Question 2
As Walsh (2011) notes, recreation involves play, playfulness, humor, art, music, relaxation, exercise, time in nature, and social interaction, activities that mitigate stress and cultivate positive feelings.
