Reply to Have you experienced this sibling dynamic? If so, how did you handle?

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[quote=Anonymous]You listen, and always work to see things from her side. Even when you might think "she's being unreasonable" or "she has a point but that's not how I would handle it." You just try to see it from her perspective and offer emotional support for wherever she is at.

It is important in a situation like this to maintain emotional distance from the actual problem. Do not get yourself involved in the sibling dynamics, don't spend a lot of time dwelling on how the other people in this scenario feel. You don't know them, you are getting a one-sided version of events, they have their own friends and support systems. Your only obligation is to your friend, and the actual dispute between siblings or family members isn't really your business.

But you support your friend's emotional state. If she needs to vent, let her (within reason, if you feel she's unloading on you and it's impacting your own emotional wellness, set reasonable limits around that). If she wants to think through some options, you can do that with her. But just remember, always -- you are a friend. Not a judge, a jury, a life coach, a family member, a therapist. Your role is pretty limited and the main goal should just be emotional support. Which, by the way, can also take the form of doing things and talking about things unrelated to her family issues. A friend can be a great distraction or help remind you of other, great aspects of your life outside of your family or career issues that might be preoccupying her.

You don't really even need to have an opinion on her family issues. It's her business. Just love and support your friend. Stick around. Crack some jokes, serve some tea, let her know you'll be around even if she's struggling with this stuff. That's it.[/quote]

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