It's more the 'champion' (her job title, not your fault) and 'superpowers' language than it is recognising and valuing someone's empathy.

It comes across as inauthentic to me, though I believe that's not the case. May also be a cultural difference (well, there certainly is, but broadly applicable to our respective nations I mean) since to me it's quite like how you can't offer a simple 'thanks' (resp. cheers!) to a shopkeeper or whoever in the US without being told 'you're so welcome', and probably to 'have a great day now'.