If the young person cries while you are counselling, try to evaluate what provoked the tears and assess if it makes sense in the given situation.

If they are crying to relieve tension, you can give them permission to express their feelings by saying, 'It's OK to cry since it's the normal thing to do when you're sad.'

If they are using crying as manipulation, you can say, 'Although I'm sorry you feel sad, it's good to express your feelings.'

If the crying is consistent with the situation, you should allow them to freely express emotions and not try to stop the feeling or belittle its importance.

Last modified: Thursday, 10 July 2014, 10:55 PM