How do i get better at giving emotional support rather than solutions when someone rants to me?
When someone vents or tells me about their problems and what they’re going through I tend to give them solutions and advice (since it’s something I except they want from me most of the time) but something I’ve noticed is that some people don’t want help or anything they just want emotional support but I can’t provide that, I don’t know how.
3 comments
Just listen to their problems and not chime in except to clarify about their problems, that’s already a very good start.
Being there is already a good enough emotional support.
Good that you have awareness about this and seeking opinions!
Just listening without asking any questions is sometimes the best way to help. And if there’s awkward silence it may make them feel more inclined to share more and you’ll get new information to better support
I definitely had this problem for a long time, my initial reaction to most things is, how can I fix this and make it better. With people, who trust you enough to vent about things with you, it’s best to just be there and listen. Acknowledge them and let them get what they need out there. When venting, it took me ages to realize that they weren’t setting up an action plan to fix an issue, they just needed to release the frustration in a safe place.