Everyone needs emotional support. Healthy relationships depend on trusting that your partner has your back, even when everything around you feels like it’s falling apart. You need to know they are there for you—and they need to know you’re there for them.
In other words, emotional support is never one-sided. It’s a shared experience that asks you to listen, empathize, and be unconditionally present for the other person.
Challenges can arise when you’re also feeling low, so while it’s essential to consider your own well-being, it’s also important not to compare your situation with theirs or minimize their problems in favor of your own. When we do this, it invalidates the other person, which might do the opposite of what you had intended, inviting conflict and hurt feelings.
Here are some suggestions to help you support your partner through emotional crises
- Listen to your partner and take them seriously. Unless they ask you to do so, don’t immediately try to solve the problem or compare it to others who may be worse off. Be supportive, and don’t get distracted or interrupt them.
- What if you can’t help? If you can’t directly relate to the problem, there are other ways to show support. Physical touch and affection can be very comforting when words won’t come.
When to seek professional help
Your partner’s emotional moments might not always be solvable. Providing support and validating their feelings will deepen interpersonal trust, but it might not be something you can “fix.” If the issue persists and is interfering with your partner’s life or your relationship, seeking professional advice may help. Just be sure to introduce this gently, perhaps by telling them about a positive experience you’ve had with therapy in the past, and let them know you will be there to support them through the process.