How can you support your peers without taking on their emotions?

Be a good listener: Listen twice as much as you speak. It's important to be in the present with the person and not be judgemental.

To support peers without absorbing their emotions, practice active listening and set emotional boundaries to differentiate between empathy and taking on emotions. Use reflective language to validate their feelings without internalizing them. Offer practical help rather than emotional responses and suggest professional assistance if needed. Engage in self-care; in some situations, you may need to debrief to manage your emotional state. Employ stress-relief techniques like deep breathing or mindfulness to stay centered. Remember, your role is to support their issues rather than solve them. This approach allows you to be there for others while preserving your emotional well-being.

Developing, discussing, and maintaining personal and professional boundaries has been crucial to my role in Peer Support. Something that has helped me in this is developing healthy ways of saying "no", such as: "I enjoy the time we spend together, but am uncomfortable with developing a relationship out outside of here". Also, being honest with myself and my peers about what I am capable of both giving and receiving.

It's important to frame the active listen with your own scope and limitations. I can refer a co-worker to external or internal resources but, I am not an encyclopedia: leave details on resources to the service provider. If you have other meetings, calls, or deadlines: be transparent and compassionate: "Hey, I know you have a lot going on right now and I want to help you get through this. I have until: __:__, then we need to find a time to pick up with what we cannot work through today.

Más allá de la simpatía, la empatía, y la escucha activa, está la compasión. A través de ella, nos conectamos con el otro de forma tal, que desde lo profundo de nuestro interior deseamos que esa persona esté libre de dolor, libre de sufrimiento, y que encuentre su paz y binestar. Cuando genuinamente deseamos ello, no nos ¨cargamos¨con las emociones del otro. Las reconocemos, escuchamos, ayudamos a gestionarlas y somos compasivos. Esa es la verdadera y mejor ayuda que podemos dar.

An example of this that I can think of, one of my classmates noticed how unattached I was to lectures and asked what was wrong. My Dad had passed away and I didn’t know how I was going to keep up with lectures while I was away for his funeral. She offered to keep notes for me, it was her suggestion, and she was willing to email them to me. She didn’t offer unsolicited advice on how I should handle my dad’s passing. She asked me what I needed and she was willing to meet my needs.

Often active listening can help. All you need to do is take time and care. Not take on the emotions the other person is running through, just take the time. “A burden shared is a lighter one.”

Listening to understand is key. Be in the frame of mind of being genuinely curious. Focus on the specific words the other person is using, and prioritize understanding what they mean and why they chose to use those words. Approaching listening in this way makes it easier to not take on their emotions.

I agree, with emphasis on reflective listening, i repeat what the person speaking is saying, with a question or statement, while being aware of my thought's staying on the conversation ??

Be genuine and authentic in your support and also in your answers. People can tell when you are sincere. Be open but also be sensitive to their needs and what information they can hold/ take. It’s quite often a moment by moment sensing of the situation and always acting from an authentic space

Self-awareness has been a guiding light for me in navigating the complexities of peer support. I've learned to recognize the moments when I'm carrying burdens that aren't mine to bear and consciously set boundaries to protect my emotional well-being. By staying attuned to my own needs and limitations, I can navigate the ebb and flow while offering peer support with greater resilience and clarity. This journey of self-awareness not only empowers me to honor my own healing process but also enables me to offer genuine support and empathy to others on similar paths.

Para isso o autoconhecimento é um fundamento. Isso implica em compreender suas próprias emo??es, limites e gatilhos emocionais. Ao estar consciente desses aspectos, você pode oferecer suporte de maneira empática e compassiva, mantendo uma distancia emocional saudável para n?o se sobrecarregar. Isso envolve escutar ativamente, estabelecer limites claros, comunicar-se assertivamente, praticar empatia sem absor??o e priorizar o autopreserva??o. Ao seguir essas práticas, você pode ser um apoio muito importante para seus colegas, sem comprometer seu próprio equilíbrio emocional.

It's essential to maintain focus on supporting others rather than solely sharing our own experiences. While it's natural to resonate with what others are feeling, the priority should be on sharing learned strategies and approaches that could benefit them during challenging times. This approach ensures the conversation remains productive and centered on providing effective support.

It's essential to maintain focus on supporting others rather than solely sharing our own experiences. While it's natural to resonate with what others are feeling, the priority should be on sharing learned strategies and approaches that could benefit them during challenging times. This approach ensures the conversation remains productive and centered on providing effective support.

This is super important for me. I have to take action towards my own wellness to create the ability to hold space for others. What that looks like for me today is being authentic and vulnerable with my support network, who I can trust.

Check your narratives! Especially people who are naturally empathic, tend to create a lot of narrative when dealing with the emotions of others. This could be a narrative about what we think the other needs or what is happening to them, and often also includes a narrative about how we think we are supposed to relate and respond to it. This can create overwhelm, and can lead to having expectations of ourselves that are not really needed. Becoming aware of 1) the stories we create about what is going on for others, and 2) the stories we create about how we’re supposed to relate to the other, is a first step in conducting ourselves in a healthy and functional way towards the other and ourselves. We call this Functional Empathy!