How to help a friend in need {On the move…}
Have you ever been totally stumped about how to help a friend who is struggling with something major? Or even just how to respond when he or she wants to vent about the ridiculous thing S.O. did yesterday? I certainly have. Fortunately, I’ve learned a thing or two as a therapist about what people really need when they are in crisis, and I’m sharing my thoughts on this over on the absolutely incredible Carolyn Rubenstein’s site, A Beautiful Ripple Effect. After you hop over, please check out all the wise and wonderful things she has to say as well.
Here’s a short excerpt:
There’s no place where the urge to offer unsolicited advice pulls at you more than in group therapy. Laura is sitting there with tears welling up in her deep brown eyes, telling the group about how her beloved home is days away from going into foreclosure while her wealthy brother just bought his daughter another BMW (she wrecked the first one). The group starts shooting words of wisdom at Laura before she’s taken a much-needed breath…
David | Listen Feel Breathe
766 days ago
Hi Ashley,
I have just discovered your blog through A Beautiful Ripple Effect, and I really enjoyed your post there. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and it is good timing too because there are many times lately when I have offered my advice and then later realised that my advice is not what those people were actually after when they told me their problem.
Sometimes they just want to talk about it, and talk through it and decide for themselves how they will deal with it and indeed the timing of how they choose to deal with the issues.
David | Listen Feel Breathe recently posted..Book the flight and get on the plane
Ashley @ Nourishing the Soul
766 days ago
Thank you for stopping by, David! I definitely have the same experience of offering advice first and realizing it’s not necessarily what a person needs later. We live and learn!
Lo
584 days ago
HELP !!! my friend that i dearly care about needs major help ! he hasnt completly opened up and told me. but he says he’s be struggling all his life, he said he wished he were dead and he feels weak and helpless. this makes me sad because i care soooo much. and i hold him and talk with him but im just not doing enough. please help, what do i do ??