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This is very important. I have had the most success when the other person feels in control at all times. Think approaching a wild horse, not saving a baby from a burning building.

Unfortunately, it is also counter to intuition for many, who just want to help and tend to swarm around the problem.

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Don't think about approaching. There's nothing you can do if you're next to them that you can't do at a distance. In particular, you should never try to physically stop someone jumping (who is already on an edge). Given that, you may as well keep your distance anyway. The most important thing is to listen.

Sometimes being able to talk in a normal conversational tone is preferable to screaming over a distance.

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