Ha, I knew it was solid advice!

It’s like what we finally learned re treating addictions and battering. The “um hum” version of therapy was useless and destructive. People needed direction and there were necessary goals: sobriety. Safety. Survival! (See pt 2)

So….listen with compassion but then guide through the serenity prayer (in my case, w/out the prayer part!)…and help the person to see that action fixes helplessness and empowerment is something you take, not something you are given!