How Do You Console An Inconsolable Friend?
• Tell them everything will be Ok. If they calm down, they weren’t inconsolable, they just needed some assurance. But if this doesn’t help at all they are inconsolable, and proceed. • Offer them two or three suggestions or solutions to help them. These don’t necessarily need to be suggestions of things for them to do if it isn’t a problem that needs action ie: They’re really upset because all their friends have boyfriends and they don’t. You can simply offer advice for example tell them that they need to remember that they are an amazing person and they shouldn’t need a boyfriend to define this, etc. • See if these calm them down at all. • Understand that if your suggestions didn’t work, that this doesn’t mean you are a bad friend for not being able to comfort them. • Ask them if there is anything you can do to help them. If there is, help to the best of your ability. • Tell them that you are there for them if they ever need anything or need to talk. Talk to them about something else.
