Me too. It's been a recurring theme in my life.
I actually agree wholeheartedly with you on there being as many different minds as possible. I operate under the assumption that everyone has their own reasons and, in essence, none are any more or less valid than any other. How I act on this has changed. I used to be very reserved and neutral, carefully avoiding taking any particular stance, but then I finally realised that other people have their own minds, so I can rightfully come in all guns blazing with my point of view and hold nothing back. It's not going to guarantee that people are going to take my word for it, or that someone isn't going to challenge or invalidate what I've said, but what you end up with is a very complete representation of my viewpoint in a sea of other, mostly well-represented viewpoints, if you see what I'm saying. Whatever I bring of my own truth can be adopted, adapted, ignored, refuted, scavenged or even misunderstood. My only responsibilities are to make sure that I only give advice on things I'm certain enough about, and explain as clearly and unambiguously as I can.
No one is right. No one is wrong. Our every interaction is a meeting of minds and the closer to pure communication we can get, the more we can cross boundaries and expand, in mutual, spiritual communion.
I think your advice was essentially good, but as someone who has faced this particular foe before, I feel a sense of responsibility in representing the solution I believe in, as well as I possibly can. In this case, someone's destiny is on the line, as dramatic as that sounds, and in my heart I believe that the destiny of one person can affect everyone on Earth.
Now, if you'll excuse me, this little conversation has left me a bit emotionally burnt out, so I'm going back into my head recuperate.