Kevin cites research proving that indirect forms of support are more effective in helping people deal with difficulties. For example complimenting a colleague on how well they handled a situation, expressing doubt that you would have been able to do the same, then thinking out loud what alternatives might have been if you had been in that situation, rather than hitting the issue head on.
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/11/helping_people_deal_with_emoti.html
