How do you really give advice?

I mean really... If someone comes up to you and asks to talk, and it is something serious, how are you really supposed to give advice?

I sometimes feel that just sitting there and listening is the best remedy. Sometimes just letting them get something off their chest is the only way to go really. Just intently listening and asking questions to get them to get EVRYTHING off their chests usually works best IMO, but I usually only do that because I really don't know what to say...

Seriously though, if you don't have any past experience with something, but you know they really need advice, how do you help them...?

I'm just a little sad because I don't know how to help out one of my Ex's with her family problems. We are still really close, and its mutual that we can always rely on eachother, but some things are just out of my control to help with, and I wish they weren't...

I'm just sad.