My Daughter Experienced Major Depression. How Can She Move Forward?

My Daughter Experienced Major Depression. How Can She Move Forward?

From Talkaboutable with Dr. Susan Swick by Lemonada Media

October 7, 2025 · 48 min · Episode 5

About this episode

The episode discusses how to support a child dealing with major depression after a significant loss.

How can you tactfully coach a child toward motivation and routine when they’ve experienced a major loss? Liz, a mother of two, asks herself this every day. After losing her middle daughter in 2020, she has watched her oldest struggle to do chores and make plans. Liz knows her middle child’s death was devastating on the entire family unit, and yet she wants her 18-year-old to move forward with her plans for college and her career. This conversation is about being curious with a child who is both hurting and growing, and the care our kids need as they enter adulthood, especially in the most unexpected of circumstances. Talkaboutable is produced by Lemonada Media, in partnership with the Ohana Center for Child and Family Mental Health at Montage Health, and made possible through funding from the Montage Health Foundation. Together, we are committed to helping families talk about the issues children, teens, and young adults are facing today. We believe that when these conversations happen at home — even about the most challenging subjects — children build the skills they need to flourish. Because when families are connected, the hard moments become more bearable, the good moments…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Susan Swick

Guest: Liz

Topics covered

  • mental health
  • grief
  • parenting
  • motivation
  • adolescence
  • loss

Keywords

  • major depression
  • child motivation
  • grief support
  • parenting advice
  • college plans
  • family mental health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lemonada Media, Ohana Center for Child and Family Mental Health, Montage Health, Montage Health Foundation

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