Your friend is really lucky to have someone like you in her life. Going through loss, and the grief that comes with it, can be really difficult for someone to do all by their self; which is why having a supportive, caring friend such as you is really beneficial for your friend.

We know since you live so far away from her you might be feeling pretty helpless, but you definitely have some options at your disposal. The most immediate thing you can do is to continue providing her with comfort and support; just knowing she has someone like you in her life can be really reassuring for her.

However, we know being the main source of support for someone who is struggling can be tough on you as well; so please don’t let her situation start to affect your well-being as well. If you start to feel stressed out by trying to help her, here are a couple of suggestions for things you can do to stay fresh: http://www.yourlifeyourvoice.org/DiscoverIt/Articles/Pages/HowtoManageStress.aspx. If you let the situation get the better of you, your ability to successfully support and comfort her could begin to diminish as a result.

Next, you can provide her with options to consider as she goes forward. Remind her that school counselors, family members, friends, trusted adults, and our website can all be really good sources of support and guidance for her. If you think it would help you could always give her our Hotline number (1-800-448-3000).

Our counselors are available 24/7 and would like nothing more than to talk with her about what she is going through and help her find a positive outcome. The call is totally free, so she won’t have to worry about jacking up her parent’s phone bill.

Hang in there. We know you are worried about your friend, but remember you do have options. We are always here for you as well, so please let us know if we can help you out any further.

Best wishes,

Abe, Counselor