divagerl1 :
K, here is the formula I’ve made up from working in health care (got me brownie points in caring behaviours). Give a slight nod approximately every 15 seconds (indicates you are listening); wide eyes and shocked expressions (wide open mouth) when they say something that sounds sad, painful, expensive, but only occasionally at big moments of the story, rest you just put on big eyes and don’t need much more expression: maintain eye contact; make sure you face them directly; tilt your head a tad (helps soften your body language and indicates you are listening); when they pause shorten and repeat back what they said and add a sounds hard or sounds painful or that sucks, and then add I’m sorry: example “that fall sounds so painful, I’m sorry to hear that” (this validates feelings). They will keep talking the more you validate their feelings. You can add a hand on the shoulder if they start to cry, or offer a hug. Never give advice, people will do/figure out whatever they want. If they ask what should I do, I say well let’s just do this next simple step. Examples, shower, get food, get safe, go to hospital, breath, ect. Think of something easy that they can do in the next 5 seconds. They don’t need advice they need to calm down or feel a little less sad. They are having big feelings and can’t think, simple, feel better task helps them think. Next Tim you see them, ask how they are doing. Boom you are very caring. You don’t need all details just catch the big parts of what they are saying. Hell put the highlights in a notes app. More you practice better you’ll get.
2026-09-15 01:43:38