- 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