• Admit you don’t know what to say
  • Express “I care”
    • Remind them that they matters
  • Check them regularly
  • Ask how I can help, but be specific (“Could I do X?” rather than “How can I help you?“)
  • Encourage them to see professional treatment
  • To listen without interruptions
  • Only claim understanding if you genuinely comprehend their perspective
    • Do not psychoanalyze them!
  • Remind them that depression is a genuine illness and emphasize that they are not weak

References