I used to work with the most amazing guy when it comes to commiseration. I actually felt bad for him--he was so good at it, it seemed he had to do it more ofte

I used to work with the most amazing guy when it comes to commiseration. I actually felt bad for him--he was so good at it, it seemed he had to do it more often because people would (unconsciously?) seek him out. Once I realized it, I tried to observe everything I could. He used a lot of those techniques. Another useful one is, "That must have felt X ". Again, validating feelings. Please note: telling someone that they shouldn't worry about something is pretty much the polar opposite of this, and should be avoided by anyone hoping to maintain a friendship with someone with feelings.