How do you listen to someone who doesn’t want advice or help?

[Anonymous]

This is a hard one for me. I know it’s particularly important for girls who just want to vent and rant about things regardless if it’s easily solvable. Sometimes they may be in the wrong or the one to blame but you gotta just listen and be attentive because they don’t really want help or advice, just someone who will listen. I don’t know how. What do I say to let them know I’m listening? How do I respond without it turning into advising or suggesting things? Who are the best listeners? How do you not judge them and always make them feel good to talk to you even if they’ve done terrible things or just completely caused problems because they themselves didn’t listen to advice? Does anyone here have someone or know a person who is a great listener who won’t judge and you can tell them anything? How do they do it? What’s the secret to becoming a good listener?

[WhitneySnow]

Listening is really important. Just be empathetic and try to understand what they’re going through.