Arthur Ciaramicoli poses with his two granddaughters.

Arthur P. Ciaramicoli, a renowned clinical psychologist with more than 45 years of experience, published two books in May that focus on how personal and societal transformation can be achieved through embracing empathy and reevaluating past experiences.

In a recent interview with the Independent, Ciaramicoli discussed how his family led him to a career in psychology. The Hopkinton resident, who holds doctoral degrees in general psychology and education, has written 12 previous books (booksbydrciaramicoli.com) in addition to maintaining an online psychology practice. Once told he was “not college material,” he is considered a pioneer in empathic psychology and has been interviewed on “Good Morning America,” CNN and several YouTube broadcasts.

Family influences life choices

“Growing up with my parents, both were always in a sense counseling somebody,” he shared. “I had a lot of friends and relatives who came to them for that.”

His mother displayed empathy for his friends during conversations around the kitchen table and “understood emotions more.” By contrast, Ciaramicoli’s father, a World War II hero who performed 13 paratroop jumps in enemy territory, emphasized the power of positive thinking.

“I resonated with my mother a lot more,” he explained.

While Ciaramicoli has great respect for both of them, his biggest regret was when he modeled his father when giving advice to his brother, David. This experience cemented Ciaramicoli’s quest to learn more about empathic communication and psychology.

“I had the last conversation with my brother before he took his life,” he explained. “I gave him the pep talk that my father would give, and it didn’t work. So I realized over time that what was lacking in that communication was empathy.”

Added Ciaramicoli: “It was the biggest mistake of my life, and I never made it again.”

The 38-year Hopkinton resident passed on his love for the town and education to his two daughters. Erica Ciaramicoli, a Hopkinton resident, co-wrote “Echoes of the Heart” with her father and holds a master’s degree in education. Alaina Chagnon is a kindergarten teacher at Marathon School and the owner of Swoon Central, a boutique in downtown Hopkinton. Both graduated from Hopkinton High School.

‘Inner echoes’ recognized

Ciaramicoli explained that “Echoes of the Heart: Echoes a Journey to Emotional Freedom, Inner Strength and Self Love” is the sequel to “The Power of Soulful Healing: Turning Wounds into Wisdom.” While the central themes of the two books are similar, their approaches to presenting information differ.

“The first book is focused on individual healing, but it’s also focused on societal healing and particularly the healing of America,” he said. “The second book is more focused on the echoes in your individual life — how  you identify them, how you become aware of them, and how you overcome them.”

In “Echoes of the Heart,” Ciaramicoli describes “inner echoes” as the emotional imprints on one’s memory, typically from early in life when a person’s critical thinking skills have not yet been fully developed. These “inner echoes” can be the result of trauma, criticism and abuse. These negative experiences often surface later as feelings of inadequacy, perfectionistic tendencies and emotional triggers.

Arthur Ciaramicoli recently published two books on personal transformation.

“Echoes of the Heart” is an accessible guide that presents helpful strategies in a compassionate, non-clinical tone. It explains the science behind why destructive patterns are repeated, such as addiction and being drawn to toxic relationships.

Each chapter breaks down a theme into several smaller areas of focus. It integrates Ciaramicoli’s case studies with the works of other experts. Some of them include Boston-based psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, author of “The Body Keeps the Score,” author and podcaster Brene Brown, and Viktor Frankl, who wrote “Man’s Search for Meaning” about surviving the Holocaust. Exercises, reference lists and affirmations at the end of each chapter reinforce key concepts for the reader.

Ciaramicoli stressed the power of empathy, the ability to put oneself in another person’s shoes without judgment.

“It’s funny how you can sense empathy very quickly in some people and not at all in others,” he shared. “It teaches you who to get close to and who to stay away from.

“I listen to people all over the world,” he added. “I don’t have their experiences, but I know what it means to suffer, so I can still understand.”

After counseling people one-on-one, Ciaramicoli often refers clients to group therapy sessions that include people with similar experiences. Both books stress that participants give empathic yet honest feedback to each other. In two examples, Ciaramicoli describes clients who appear stoic but end up in tears by the end of their counseling because they now can share their emotions.

Another concept Ciaramicoli stressed in both books is gratitude, even for life’s struggles. He suggested keeping a gratitude journal for reflection not only on the joys of life but also the ability to overcome adversity. Gratitude works with the brain’s neuroplasticity, he explained, allowing it to create neural pathways that can supersede deeply ingrained negative thinking patterns.

Need for ‘soulful’ leadership

“The Power of Soulful Healing,” co-written with Dr. Alise Cortez, an organizational psychologist and logotherapist, explores the polarity in today’s society. It looks at the influence of social media, the pandemic and the behavior of current political figures. While Ciaramicoli did not discuss politics at length, he compared “soulful leaders” like Nobel Peace Prize winners Nelson Mandela and Lech Walesa with the “sadistic” leadership styles of Adolf Hitler and President Donald Trump.

“I wrote this book because I was so concerned about what was happening, and I predicted it would be terrible,” Ciaramicoli explained. He noted that he has counseled couples who divorced over opposing views about politics and COVID-19.

In this book, he shared a glimmer of hope for the future in a passage on youth awareness. Steve Simoes, who teaches at Hopkinton High School, shared insights from his Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics class.

“Closing that information and empathic gap is my primary objective,” Simoes stated in the book.

Using examples from his class, he demonstrated the power of an inclusive environment. By the end of the year, students were able to discuss political topics passionately but respectfully, gaining a better understanding of other viewpoints in the process.

Through his work, Ciaramicoli strives to help others heal what are sometimes lifelong wounds.

“Most people don’t know that — no matter what happened to you — you can be helped,” Ciaramicoli stressed. “I know from my own experiences how difficult it can be. Growth takes patience, understanding, the ability to be vulnerable and the support of those close to you.”