Recently I have had 2 different people in my life going through very trying times as their spouses have had to deal with health problems. One is a family member and the other a mom friend from my kid’s school. Obviously, my relationship to each of them is completely different. Nonetheless, I want to reach out and comfort both of them in some way. It got me to thinking about just how do you comfort someone going through a tough time? Despite best intentions, it isn’t always easy to comfort someone. And for some of us, supporting people going through a difficult time can be confusing or awkward, no matter how much we want to be present for them. Below are some suggestions that might be helpful. Not all of these will apply to every situation, so use them only if they feel appropriate. And, I believe there will be some differences as well as similarities based on the level of your relationship with the person going through a crisis, but mostly similarities. (1) Make contact. …