> Given that there will always be threads that need to be locked, how can we mitigate the results of people feeling badly because the thread was locked?

I guess there are two options: acceptance and change (and these don't have to be mutually exclusive).

Lets start with acceptance.

How do people feel when their threads are locked? It could (perhaps) be profitable for people to talk about this. Maybe they feel... Like their opinion isn't valued. This isn't at all to say that locking a thread means that their opinion isn't valued. That can be true at the very same time as they FEEL like their opinion isn't valued. Maybe... What their hurt / upset is really about... Is that it reminds them of times in the past when their opinion really wasn't valued. Sometimes people find a benefit to realising they are not alone with their feelings and realising that they are not alone with their experiences. Sometimes talking about these things can help reduce the intensity of the feeling in response to the present.

With respect to change...

I guess that people could attempt to change their behaviour so the threads are less likely to be locked. For me... That would involve my not posting to threads where people are having a heated discussion. Not posting things that are controversial. Not posting anything challenging. The trouble with this strategy (for me) is that I personally find those kinds of threads to be those that I get a whole heap from. Sometimes discussions become heated because peoples core beliefs are changing and the heat is a defensive strategy... Sometimes people might benefit from the conversations even though it is hard to see the benefit on the thread.

I guess that with respect to what admin could do...

Well...

I'm happy to talk about ways we can manage our distress truth be told.

;-)