12 Types Of Empaths (2022) And How To Identify Yours

10 min read

Empaths go one step beyond simply understanding the emotions of others – they actually feel stuff as if it’s happening to them.

Given the core element of empathy is feeling, being an empath can mean so much more than reflecting the highs and lows of others.

Here are twelve different types of empaths—and only two have to do with absorbing the pain or joy of your peers.

1. Physical Empaths

As a physical empath, you’re attuned to other people’s physical symptoms, and you tend to absorb them into your own body. This goes beyond naturally contagious gestures, like laughter and yawning.

If your friend is experiencing a screamingly painful migraine headache, expect to feel tension in your temples, as well.

On the flip side, physical empaths can also be energized by someone else’s sense of wellbeing.

2. Emotional Empaths

An emotional empath feels the emotions of others. This can be lovely when your friend gets a promotion and you can feel their happiness, as if you, yourself, were going to be the Senior VP of Development.

However, emotional empaths can feel exhausted by friends who are constant complainers who dwell in the negative, or narcissists who suck up all the attention and never reciprocate when they’re feeling down.  Because of this, emotional empaths tend to be emotional sponges and feel drained by emotional vampires. By practicing self-care and learning how to differentiate other people’s emotions from your own, you can master this gift.

3. Intuitive Empaths

An intuitive empath has the ability to know if and what needs to be done in a situation without any solid evidence or rationale behind it.

This type of empath has the ability to know whether or not they should do something depending on the context and circumstances. Claircognizant empaths are able to vibe off of the energy field of others and, in having that ability, they are able to read people very easily.

Intuitive empaths generally can sense the unspoken in terms of what’s going on, and that can encompass many qualities.

4. Telepathic Empaths

Telepathic empaths have the ability to hear the thoughts as well as sense the emotions of others. It is a form of telepathy that can be harnessed through empathy.

As people’s thoughts are often influenced by their emotions, an empath’s power may extend to allow them to read minds as well, acting as a mixture of both empathy and telepathy.

5. Psychometric Empaths

The psychometric empath has the ability to receive information and energy from inanimate objects, photographs, or locations that are significant to a person.

Psychometric empaths have the ability to sense a deep connection to a place or inanimate object to receive information and impressions about it.

6. Dream Empaths

Dream empaths are similar to intuitive empaths, except they receive intuitive information from dreams. These types of empaths are typically gifted at clearly remembering dreams.

The dream empath is able to decipher wisdom from, talking animals, for example, or a deceased relative in dreams. A dream empath is also someone who’s able to read between the lines and tease meaning from their own dreams and those of others.

7. Plant Empaths

If you’re a plant empath, also called a flora empath, you can accurately “feel the needs of plants and connect with their essence,” Dr. Orloff says. Plant empaths, similar to earth empaths, can pick up on the vibes of vegetation.

Given how differently plants and humans experience consciousness (or the plant equivalent), this is a unique talent that plant empaths can find tough to put into words.

However, since the benefits of keeping plants are well-known, plant empaths could be laying solid groundwork for developing their own very human well-being.

8. Earth Empaths or Geomantic Empaths

Earth empaths are rocking a similar vibe to the plant empath in that both have their hearts tuned to nature.

This type of empath is deeply sensitive to changes in the earth herself. Some earth empaths claim to be able to feel the pain of earthquakes and forest fires, and maybe even predict them before they happen.

While the plant empath is more attuned to indoor plants, the geomantic empath relates more to what’s going on with the whole universe.

9. Animal Empaths or Fauna Empaths

The animal empath is the person who is always hanging out with the animals hiding out at the party. Animal empaths have a special connection with animals in that they can often feel their needs and communicate with the animal in a soothing manner.

An animal empath cannot stomach any violence toward animals and are more than likely up on the latest vegan recipes.

Some animal empaths might actively prefer the company of animals to people, others might simply tolerate us — a bit like cats.

10. Psychic Empaths

A psychic empath or medium possesses an intuitive understanding of the afterlife. At times, psychic empaths are able to see spirits and communicate one-on-one with the spirit.

They can pick up on extrasensory vibes from the spirit world and use them to guide or reach conclusions about real-life problems.

11. Heyoka Empaths

“Heyoka” means “sacred clown” or “spiritual fool” in the Lakota and Dakota Native American dialects.

This type of empath is said to be the rarest and most powerful variety, acting as a spiritual mirror to those around them to assist their growth.

Heyoka empath’s unorthodox approach to life makes others question their own preconceived notions of what’s right and wrong, real or fantasy.

That guy posting provocative stuff on social media to get you riled up might actually be a Heyoka empath doing you a favor.

12. Precognitive Empaths

Precognitive empaths are sensitive to a situation’s potential outcome.

Whether you believe they’re actually predicting the future with some psychic gift or spotting patterns and logically picking the most likely outcome, the result is the same. They know what’s going to happen — don’t say they didn’t warn you.

What Is the Rarest Type of Empath?

It’s extremely rare to be an empath in general. Research estimates that just 1-2 percent of the population possesses empath traits.

Empaths are known to tend to everyone else’s needs before their own and they have a tendency to experience emotional burnout more than others.

However, of all types of empaths, the most unique, rarest type, even though incredibly powerful, is often overlooked – the Heyoka empath. This kind of empath is, essentially, an emotional mirror, and tends to be more spiritual than the others. They’re also said to be able to read minds.

​​As a Heyoka empath, your powers lie in helping and healing others. And the number one way you do that is by sensing their problems. This is transmitted through the emotional and physical energy given off.

The dark side of this is, you’re also susceptible to absorbing it. Too much of it and it can leave you feeling drained and overwhelmed.