[borski]

My magic words for this are simply “tell me more.” Eventually, by listening actively, I can put myself in their shoes and empathize. And once they’ve talked it out, if they even need help, I ask if they want it and are open to it. If they say no, all good! If they say yes, then we can dive in.

This has taken me many years to get better at, and I still suck at it, but it’s improved for sure.