10 Essential Tips for Supporting Someone With Mental Illness (Without Losing Yourself)
What happens when you’re the “strong one” holding everyone else together while someone you love is living with mental illness or suicidal thoughts? In this host-only episode, Kelly Poelker and Delisa Richardson share 10 essential tips for caregivers and supporters so you can show up with compassion, protect your own peace, and remember you’re not alone in the process.
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What You’ll Learn
- Why healthy boundaries are a form of love—for you and the person you’re caring for.
- What “caregiver burden” looks like, and how it can impact your own mental and physical health.
- Key warning signs of suicidal ideation and why asking directly about suicide does not put the idea in someone’s head.
- How to keep communication open without going straight into “fix-it mode.”
- How crisis and safety plans work, and why they help reduce panic in the moment.
- Simple, realistic self-care practices for overwhelmed caregivers in the “sandwich generation.”
- How to celebrate small wins—for both the person you’re supporting and for yourself.
- Why giving yourself grace matters when you don’t have perfect words or answers.
Guest Spotlight
In this special conversation, hosts Kelly Poelker and Delisa Richardson step out from the interviewer role to talk directly to caregivers, parents, partners, and friends who are walking alongside someone with mental illness or suicidal thoughts.
They talk honestly about being on constant “high alert,” the emotional and physical toll of caregiving, and the myth that you have to do it all on your own. Drawing on lived experience and research, Kelly and Delisa unpack ideas like caregiver burden, boundaries, safety planning, and the importance of sleep, nutrition, and support systems—especially for those in the “sandwich generation” caring for both older loved ones and kids or grandkids.
Their message is clear: you can love someone fiercely without losing yourself, and your presence matters more than perfection.
Key Quotes
Resources & Next Steps
- Explore Glow For Hope tools, breathing exercises, and mental health resources: glowforhopenfp.org/resources
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) – Call or text 988 or chat online for 24/7 support: 988lifeline.org
- Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor: crisistextline.org
- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) – Education, support groups, and resources for families and caregivers: nami.org
- AFSP – Signs of Suicide – Learn more about warning signs and how to talk about suicide safely: afsp.org/signs-of-suicide
- Find a therapist or support group in your area: psychologytoday.com
Next Episode
Join us next time as we continue to spark honest conversations around mental health, bringing you real stories, practical tools, and supportive voices to help you feel less alone—whether you’re the one struggling or the one holding space.
Support the Show
Your support helps keep these conversations going. Together, we can amplify voices, spark change, and bring hope to those who need it most.
Crisis Resources
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please reach out for help:
- U.S.: Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7).
- International: Visit findahelpline.com for international hotlines.
Disclaimer
This podcast is for informational and awareness purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for guidance about your individual situation.
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