Sympathy does not work, and almost always results in you feeling angry. Empathy is when you say to the person who is affected something that lets them know you heard what they said or felt. You are like a mirror, not a sponge. It only takes 30 seconds and if you do it a few times a week it's great medicine for everyone. Empathy is when you can walk a mile in someone's shoes without being in their shoes.
Men tend to become more constrained emotionally, women become more expressive.
Therefore the response set is different. You have to take into account individual differences. You have to look at the gender, and their cultural context. Often loved ones are too close to the situation to give the primary supoprt. Often friends, peers, para-professionals and professionals can render support.