I personally have never had any luck validating with this line. I think it comes off as a canned psych 101 line and is perceived as insincere. I find it much more effective to simply agree with them.
"Yep, you're right." "I know." "I am like that. I wish I wasn't, and I'm working to change that, but yes."
I find it defuses the anger a lot faster. It's hard to argue with someone who won't argue back.
Of course, blantant untruths can't go unchallenged, but in most cases you're just arguing with the way they FEEL and that's one you can never win.
Everybody hurts. It's part of life. Don't miss the good stuff.
