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What to Do Right Now When Your Child is Suicidal: and Later Today, Tomorrow, and Next Week
Practical, Expert, Compassionate Help for Parents and Caregivers
This powerful guide offers practical, expert, and compassionate help for anyone facing the excruciatingly difficult journey of caring for a child with suicidal thoughts. Empower yourself with the encouragement and information you need to effectively support your child's healing process.
What to Do Right Now When Your Child is Suicidal has been reviewed by expert psychiatrists, therapists, and suicide prevention advocates. The book provides step-by-step guidance from author Tara Rolstad, who also shares her own story of parenting young people with suicidal ideation.
This short, easy-to-read guide is also a crucial resource if you're a teacher, coach, therapist, or any professional who works with kids and their parents, or if you care about a young person who struggles with depression or other serious mental health issues.
Inside you will find valuable checklists, resources, helpful tips, and advice gleaned from experts, mental health providers, and other families who’ve been through this experience.
how to get help for your suicidal child or teen,how to support a kid with suicidal ideation,how to manage your own fear, andwhy taking care of yourself is critical to your child's recovery.“In an approachable and heartfelt manner, Tara says everything I wish families could know about the journey of a young person’s mental health crisis. This book will certainly be a trusted companion for many caregivers, providing both concrete tips and tools, but also the solace of knowing they are not alone on this path.”—Naomi Fishman, MD, Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
“This was the book I needed when my child was in crisis and attending college over 2000 miles from home. Tara has written a step-by-step guide to help not only your child or young adult, but also yourself in the midst of a parent’s worst nightmare. I hope and pray you don’t need this book, but if you do, I am grateful she has written it.”—Kathryn R., parent
About the Author
As a parent and foster parent to teens with severe mental illness, Tara Rolstad knows firsthand the challenges and fears that come with having a child with suicidal thoughts. Tara is a professional speaker and mental health advocate with more than 15 years experience, and she brings a unique combination of expertise, authenticity, and humor to her work. She is a program partner with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) chapters in Oregon, and the founder and director of her own mental health conferences for organizations, schools, and faith communities. Tara is also the co-author of “OMG That's Me! 3: Bipolar Disorder, Depression, PTSD, Mental Health and Humor.
This powerful guide offers practical, expert, and compassionate help for anyone facing the excruciatingly difficult journey of caring for a child with suicidal thoughts. Empower yourself with the encouragement and information you need to effectively support your child's healing process.
What to Do Right Now When Your Child is Suicidal has been reviewed by expert psychiatrists, therapists, and suicide prevention advocates. The book provides step-by-step guidance from author Tara Rolstad, who also shares her own story of parenting young people with suicidal ideation.
This short, easy-to-read guide is also a crucial resource if you're a teacher, coach, therapist, or any professional who works with kids and their parents, or if you care about a young person who struggles with depression or other serious mental health issues.
Inside you will find valuable checklists, resources, helpful tips, and advice gleaned from experts, mental health providers, and other families who’ve been through this experience.
how to get help for your suicidal child or teen,how to support a kid with suicidal ideation,how to manage your own fear, andwhy taking care of yourself is critical to your child's recovery.“In an approachable and heartfelt manner, Tara says everything I wish families could know about the journey of a young person’s mental health crisis. This book will certainly be a trusted companion for many caregivers, providing both concrete tips and tools, but also the solace of knowing they are not alone on this path.”—Naomi Fishman, MD, Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
“This was the book I needed when my child was in crisis and attending college over 2000 miles from home. Tara has written a step-by-step guide to help not only your child or young adult, but also yourself in the midst of a parent’s worst nightmare. I hope and pray you don’t need this book, but if you do, I am grateful she has written it.”—Kathryn R., parent
About the Author
As a parent and foster parent to teens with severe mental illness, Tara Rolstad knows firsthand the challenges and fears that come with having a child with suicidal thoughts. Tara is a professional speaker and mental health advocate with more than 15 years experience, and she brings a unique combination of expertise, authenticity, and humor to her work. She is a program partner with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) chapters in Oregon, and the founder and director of her own mental health conferences for organizations, schools, and faith communities. Tara is also the co-author of “OMG That's Me! 3: Bipolar Disorder, Depression, PTSD, Mental Health and Humor.
174 pages, Paperback
Published March 18, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 12, 2025
This is not a book anyone wants to need or have necessity to read. It's a topic we try to ignore and pretend only happens to "other people." But if you, or a loved one (or friend, acquaintance, or stranger), should find yourself in this situation, this book is an absolute blessing. Your brain will be in fight or flight mode, just trying to keep your child alive. You will not be able to think of the basic tasks you need to do, let alone try to navigate this world that you didn't expect to find yourself in (ER visits, inpatient stays, hiding your kitchen knives and Tylenol, finding a therapist when they all have six-month wait lists or don't take your insurance, missing school, etc).
This book is overflowing with helpful information and advice, but perhaps more importantly, it helps you feel like you are not alone and that someone out there understands what you are going through. Reading this book is like having a friend hold your hand and walk you through this process, each step of the way. This book should be available as a resource at all libraries, schools, hospitals, crisis centers, or any place someone may need it (when they don't realize they need it or that it is out there). I'm going to keep a copy on hand to pass to someone in case of an emergency.
This book is overflowing with helpful information and advice, but perhaps more importantly, it helps you feel like you are not alone and that someone out there understands what you are going through. Reading this book is like having a friend hold your hand and walk you through this process, each step of the way. This book should be available as a resource at all libraries, schools, hospitals, crisis centers, or any place someone may need it (when they don't realize they need it or that it is out there). I'm going to keep a copy on hand to pass to someone in case of an emergency.
March 19, 2025
Recommended for every parent
When you learn your child no longer wishes to live, you're flooded with emotions. Fear and helplessness were predominant for me. I didn't know how to react, what to say, what to DO.
I fumbled my way through that time, and I'm thankful everything turned out alright in the end. But I so wish I had this book back then.
What to Do Right Now When Your Child Is Suicidal offers practical, easy-to-comprehend steps to take whether your child is having thoughts or planning to take action. I love that it doesn't just provide help for getting through an immediate crisis but also offers tips and suggestions for parenting a suicidal child over time.
This is a book you need BEFORE you would actually use it. I wish every family would buy a copy. My hope is that no one will ever need to use it, but buying it when it's not needed means you're prepared and have it as a resource if you ever come to that place.
When you learn your child no longer wishes to live, you're flooded with emotions. Fear and helplessness were predominant for me. I didn't know how to react, what to say, what to DO.
I fumbled my way through that time, and I'm thankful everything turned out alright in the end. But I so wish I had this book back then.
What to Do Right Now When Your Child Is Suicidal offers practical, easy-to-comprehend steps to take whether your child is having thoughts or planning to take action. I love that it doesn't just provide help for getting through an immediate crisis but also offers tips and suggestions for parenting a suicidal child over time.
This is a book you need BEFORE you would actually use it. I wish every family would buy a copy. My hope is that no one will ever need to use it, but buying it when it's not needed means you're prepared and have it as a resource if you ever come to that place.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews