Although your friend is female my answers are equally helpful to a man.
- Give him/her the opportunity to talk. Often, in an effort to be helpful, we ourselves talk too much.
- Listen when he/she talks. As I said, in an effort to be helpful, we ourselves talk too much.
- Don’t judge or criticize what the person is saying. This is not the time to make constructive suggestions!!!
- Allow them to express feelings/allow them to feel feelings.
- Tell them about your own experiences, if you have divorced yourself, so that they don’t feel alone.
- Be helpful- Life’s everyday chores and responsibilities feel overwhelming to someone getting divorced. A helping hand is really appreciated.
- Depending on the stage of your friend’s divorce, try to shed a positive bent on the situation. Many milestones, however unexpected or unwanted, have a silver lining.
