Normalizing and validating: sometimes it can mean a lot to be told you’re not alone in how you’re feeling, and that it makes sense. We can craft all sorts of narratives to invalidate our own emotions, so taking the space to let someone know it’s alright to feel how they’re feeling can go a long way.

Paraphrasing and summarizing: Paraphrasing and summarizing are great ways to ensure that you and the person you are supporting are on the same page. Something as simple as "so what I'm hearing is..." or "so it sounds to me like..." gives space for you to show that you're listening, and allows folks to correct you if you're off base or not fully getting it!

Asking open questions: Asking a few open questions in a supportive conversation can help give the person seeking support some space to share their concerns. It also shows that we’re engaged and that we care about knowing more. It’s important that we don't ask too many--because we don’t want to take control of the conversation--but a few here and there will keep the conversation going and provide clarity when we’re not sure we’re on the same page.

Highlighting resiliency: It can be hard to know what we need, or to see all of the ways in which we are actually taking care of ourselves. If you notice something like this in the conversation with the person you’re supporting, highlight that! It’s important that this comes from a genuine place, and not one of trying to create positivity or optimism just for the sake of it. Ultimately, something as simple as “It sounds to me like you really do know what you need, and that’s awesome!” can go a long way.