This commentary, published in Medical Education, discusses the relationship between emotion-sharing and well-being and how sharing can be fostered effectively in medical education and training. The authors first explain that sharing with peers does not promote emotional recovery, because emotional recovery depends on cognitive work encouraging one to give up on frustrating goals, reorganize motives and recreate meaning. More often, socio-affective responses and subsequent relationship development provide a sense of relief. However, mentors can go beyond a trusted ear as a source of guidance offering helpful coping strategies. Furthermore, continuity and familiarity of environments can stabilize the hectic demands of hospital rotations during medical school.