You can say something like, “Hey I noticed that you got a new hat. It looks really good on you. ” Or you can say something like, “Whoa, you totally blew that art project out of the water. Great job!”

You can share a meal, watch a show, play a game, listen to music, or go shopping with them. Make sure to have a conversation while you spend time with them.

Family therapy may be able to restore bonds between family members.

You can say something like, “So I remember last month you were telling me you wanted to quit your job. How do you feel about it now?” You can follow up statements with questions like “Oh yeah? How does that make you feel” or “Nice. Was that fun for you?”

You can show that you’re listening by nodding your head, mirroring the expressions on their face, and maintaining eye contact. [7] X Research source One way to show that you’re listening is by paraphrasing something they said. An example would be, “So what you’re saying is that you think it’s disrespectful when I’m not looking at you while talking to you. I totally get that. I’m sorry, it’s a very bad habit. ” Or you can say something like, “So what you mean is that Kendrick isn’t pulling his weight on the project? That’s not fair. ”

You can say something like, “I totally get why you’d be upset after talking to you, and I understand why you yelled. ” If someone told you something that was deeply personal or difficult, you might say something like, “I know this must have been hard for you to say. I really appreciate that you felt as though you could trust me. "