Attention

• Paying attention to someone while she is venting is essential when she is trying to deal with grief. She needs to know that you care about what she is going through. Paying attention will also help you respond with words of comfort and advice that you might not have if you had not been paying attention to the things that she said. Listen and respond clearly and concisely when prompted..
  
  

Engagement

• It is also very important to remain engaged during the conversation, even when he seems to just be rambling. Lean toward the speaker and hear what he is saying, nodding along when he makes a statement or looking at him with sympathy. Make it even more known that you are a part of the conversation by interacting with the speaker, even when it is not your turn to talk.
  
  

Body Language

• Use your body to convey your sympathy, even when it is not your turn to talk. Placing a hand on her arm when she says something particularly reflective can work wonders to help her feel more at ease with talking to you. Put your arm around her and keep eye contact. While she is talking about her grief, you need to do whatever you can to make her comfortable as this will help her attain a better sense of normality in that moment.
  
  

Response

• Eventually, you will need to respond to the things that your friend is saying. This means that you need to collect information while he is talking. While he speaks, think about what you would like to say about each particular statement. This helps you brainstorm a little in the middle of the conversation so that you can do more than grunt when it comes your turn to talk.