On Horror Stories

How can we be more alert to relationships in which we are called upon to be a compassionate friend?I am speaking of situations where you know someone has a health concern, and may want to air their anxieties. It obviously calls for being a good listener. The question is can everyday conversations with friends be a place for some kind of "healing" presence? I would be interested to hear reader comments. Can it be mutual? What if you have your own concerns, and you are in need of a good listener, yourself? Will common sense be enough? The occasions of "horror stories" seem to reveal that we don't always realize when we are relating things that may have powerful suggestions. What does it take to increase one's self-awareness of what you are saying in these situations, so that comfort and compassion can prevail?