We don't prepare parents for one of life's most terrifying possibilities: having a child who wants to end their life. Mental health expert Tara Rolstad knows this reality from both sides – first as an aunt to nieces with severe trauma-related mental health issues, then as a mother whose own daughter battled depression and suicidality.
What happens after the emergency room visit when your child expresses suicidal thoughts? Where's the manual for the morning after, or the days that follow? Frustrated by the complete absence of resources for parents in this situation, Rolstad wrote "When Your Child Is Suicidal" to provide the practical, tactical advice families desperately need.
Our conversation dismantles common fears around mental health discussions. Rolstad delivers a powerful truth: asking someone if they've thought about suicide doesn't plant the idea – it signals you're safe to talk to. She advocates for normalizing these conversations with children early, much like we teach street safety, with simple, direct language that removes stigma.
The statistics are staggering – one in five people struggle with mental health issues annually, affecting 67% of families. Yet we hesitate to extend the same casseroles, check-ins and practical support we readily provide for physical health challenges.
For anyone supporting someone with mental health struggles, Rolstad's advice feels like permission to breathe: get your own therapist, accept help with practical tasks, and remember that recovery is possible. Her message resonates with compassionate authority – "You are worthy of feeling well, not because of what you do, simply because you deserve it."
Ready to break the silence around mental health in your family or community? This conversation provides both the courage and practical tools to begin.
https://tararolstad.com/when-your-child-is-suicidal
tara@tararolstad.com
If this conversation stirred something in you… good. That’s where change begins.
Make sure you’re subscribed, share this with someone who needs it, and if you’re ready to tell your story, step into your voice, or build a life that actually feels like yours… You’re in the right place.
I’m Julie Fairhurst, and this is where stories turn into power.
Go to my website if you would like to be a guest on the Women Like Me Stories & Business in the toolbar click Let's Podcast
