Empathy indeed plays a major role while you are trying to help someone to deal with their own emotions as therapists. Therapy requires communicating a deep understanding and form a personal connection with your patient and empathy allows you to do so. Empathy and acceptance promote breaking isolation, validation, self-strengthening, and self-acceptance.

In my view holding enough empathy and kindness for your future patients where you can listen to them without any judgment and provide a safe space for them to be themselves and detangle their emotions and process them is enough. 

While you are at it, please understand you are trailing a slightly dangerous territory here. Where lack of empathy can make you critical and in turn makes you ineffective as a therapist, being overly empathetic will do the same.

While practicing empathy and forming a close connection with you patient lines between your own emotions and your patient’s might start to get a little blur that is why it is important to remain objective and maintain professional boundaries. You shouldn’t get caught up in your patient’s emotions.

Hence it can be concluded that empathy is one of the most integral qualities that a therapist should possess. And providing a space where the patient can feel connected and accepted enough to work through his/her emotions should be the objective empathy should fulfill. Other than that, therapist should not take empathy overboard and should maintain professional boundaries and remain objective.