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
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Who Is Julie Fairhurst?
Speaker • Author • Business Strategist • Founder of Women Like Me
Julie Fairhurst is a force of nature disguised as a woman with a pen and a business brain built for impact. As the founder of the Women Like Me Book Program, she has opened the door for women around the world to share their truth, heal their past, and rise into their power. Since 2019, she has published more than 30 books and over 350 true-life stories — without charging a single writer a dime! Why? Because women’s stories deserve daylight, not gatekeeping.
With 34 years in sales, marketing, and successful business leadership, Julie knows how to turn storytelling into influence and influence into income.
Her mission is clear and unapologetic: break generational trauma one story at a time and help women elevate both emotionally and financially. She doesn’t just publish books, she builds brands, confidence, and possibility, giving women the tools to rewrite their futures, grow their businesses, and lift their families with them.
