Beyond the Stigma: A Phenomenological Exploration of Mental Health Through Edith Stein’s Concept of Empathy

Mental health stigma remains a pervasive social challenge that obstructs understanding, compassion, and appropriate care for those experiencing psychological suffering. Often reduced to stereotypes or dismissed altogether, mental illness is commonly denied the recognition it deserves as a form of legitimate human distress. This paper examined Edith Stein’s phenomenology of empathy as a philosophical framework for recognizing the interior life of others, especially those affected by mental health conditions Stein’s concept of empathy (Einfühlung) is not merely emotional resonance or sympathy, but a structured process of perceiving and affirming another’s lived experience without subsuming or objectifying it. Through her three-stage model—percetual awareness, imaginative transposition, and experiential fulfillment—Stein provides a way to access and affirm the reality of another’s suffering. This phenomenological approach counters the epistemic and moral ailings that underlie mental health stigma, fostering a mode of ethical recognition that can dismantle social exclusion. By grounding empathy in intersubjective encounter, Stein’s philosophy offers a powerful resource for reframing mental health discourse and cultivating a more inclusive, humane society.