Not entirely a balance issue, but certainly an issue none the less.
So I play a druid, and when you empathize an animal it lasts for only a few rounds, like 1min RL. This creates two problems;
1) mid-combat it just turns on you. So its seriously dangerous to keep it about.
2) mid RP it turns back on the party.
I actually see no issue with control until rest, but the current iteration swings really too far to the other way.