Usually when someone is venting at me, I feel like I should respond somehow and say something, but I have no idea what that something could/should be. Is it better to just listen or try to comfort them in some way?
Usually when someone is venting at me, I feel like I should respond somehow and say something, but I have no idea what that something could/should be. Is it better to just listen or try to comfort them in some way?
Generally listening is best but there’s no universal answer to a question like this. People are complex. Some people want to be consoled, some people want feedback, some people want to be challenged, etc
But a general first line of defense is hear them out, comfort when appropriate, and don’t make it about you (“oh that’s crazy it’s like this one time I…”)