The Mel Robbins Podcast - If Someone You Love Is Having a Hard Time, Listen to This

Learn how to truly help someone you love. When someone you care about is going through a difficult time, you can make a meaningful difference with a few simple words. Today, clinical psychologist and three-time New York Times bestselling author Dr. Lisa Damour teaches you how to offer the right kind of support for your kid, partner, or friend without panicking, taking control, or trying to fix everything. You’ll learn 3 questions that help you understand whether someone needs to vent, needs more support, or may need professional help. Dr. Damour also explains why painful emotions are not always a sign that something is wrong, how to recognize when coping has become harmful, and why giving advice before understanding what someone needs can backfire. This episode is one of Mel’s favorite conversations on The Mel Robbins Podcast, and she’s bringing it back with a brand new introduction and new insights for right now. In it, Mel gets personal about supporting her husband through depression, parenting teenagers through intense emotions, and the mistakes she made when she tried to solve every problem. In this episode, you’ll learn: -The exact words to use when someone shuts down or pushes you away -Why the advice you give can make someone feel worse -How to respond when someone is drinking, using substances, self-harming, or avoiding life -How to listen so the person feels supported -The simple question to ask when someone is venting -How to stay calm when someone you love is overwhelmed -The 3 questions to ask when someone you love is struggling -How to tell the difference between normal stress and a serious mental health concern -The two warning signs that someone may need professional support -When and how to ask directly about suicide or self-harm -How to suggest therapy without making someone feel broken By the time you finish listening, you’ll know what to say, what not to say, and how to show up for someone you love. For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page. If you liked the episode, check out this one next: How to Motivate Yourself (and Others) to Change Any Behavior Mel also wants to tell you: Try the 23g protein shot I drink every single morning Join 2 million readers loving my weekly newsletter - full of tips, tools, and inspiration The Let Them Theory: read the book everyone’s talking about Watch the episodes on YouTube Connect with me on Instagram Follow the show’s Instagram for clips, behind the scenes, and more Find some daily positivity on my TikTok Want zero ads? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free Disclaimer

Duration: 1h 15m
Broadcast on: 22 Aug 2026
Audio Format: other

Learn how to truly help someone you love.

When someone you care about is going through a difficult time, you can make a meaningful difference with a few simple words.

Today, clinical psychologist and three-time New York Times bestselling author Dr. Lisa Damour teaches you how to offer the right kind of support for your kid, partner, or friend without panicking, taking control, or trying to fix everything.

You’ll learn 3 questions that help you understand whether someone needs to vent, needs more support, or may need professional help.

Dr. Damour also explains why painful emotions are not always a sign that something is wrong, how to recognize when coping has become harmful, and why giving advice before understanding what someone needs can backfire.

This episode is one of Mel’s favorite conversations on The Mel Robbins Podcast, and she’s bringing it back with a brand new introduction and new insights for right now.

In it, Mel gets personal about supporting her husband through depression, parenting teenagers through intense emotions, and the mistakes she made when she tried to solve every problem.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

-The exact words to use when someone shuts down or pushes you away

-Why the advice you give can make someone feel worse

-How to respond when someone is drinking, using substances, self-harming, or avoiding life

-How to listen so the person feels supported

-The simple question to ask when someone is venting

-How to stay calm when someone you love is overwhelmed

-The 3 questions to ask when someone you love is struggling

-How to tell the difference between normal stress and a serious mental health concern

-The two warning signs that someone may need professional support

-When and how to ask directly about suicide or self-harm

-How to suggest therapy without making someone feel broken

By the time you finish listening, you’ll know what to say, what not to say, and how to show up for someone you love.

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: How to Motivate Yourself (and Others) to Change Any Behavior

Mel also wants to tell you:

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Hey, it's your friend, Mel, and welcome to the Mel Robbins Podcast. One of the hardest things in life is to watch somebody that you care about going through a really hard time. And I don't know about you, but in those moments, I step in and I attempt to help and make things better. And then, of course, what happens? My attempt to help just makes things worse. You know, you want to help your kid, but they just barricade themselves in their room. Your partner is depressed, your friend is drinking too much, you're worried. You ask questions because you're anxious about it. You give advice because you can see how this might turn into some disaster. I used to do that too. But oftentimes, I wasn't helping. In fact, I was making things worse, which is why today I've asked one of the world's leading psychologists to teach you and me how to help someone you love without panicking, pulling, turning the situation into a fight, or making the situation even worse. You're going to learn the exact words to use when someone shuts down, pushes you away, or is making choices that truly scare you. This episode is an extraordinary resource for you because I know you want to be supportive. I know you want to see this person who's struggling, truly thrive. And what you're about to learn today will show you exactly how to do that. When I think of fall, I think of a couple things. I think of the first school drop off, the first sweater weather day, the first chilly evening around the fire pit, and our sponsor, LL Bean. For over a hundred years, LL Bean has been part of these traditions, crunching leaves and man-made bean boots, cheering from the sidelines and scotch plaid flannel, and walking the dog in a rugged field coat. Go grab the layers you love and the people you love and get outside. Visit LL Bean.com to shop the fall collection. LL Bean, be an outsider. The Mel Robbins podcast is brought to you by Expedia. I love Expedia because I love traveling, and here's the thing. You may be holding off on booking a trip right now because you think you need the whole plan to come together. But guess what? You don't. With Expedia's bundle and save, the more you book, the more you can save. Get up to 30% off every time you add something, and then you add more later. Expedia, the one place you go to go places. Sign in to save on select bookings. The Mel Robbins podcast is proudly sponsored by Amika Insurance, our exclusive insurance partner. Every podcast listener has a story. The milestones you'll always remember, the traditions that have been passed down over the generations, the moments that make being a part of your family mean something. At Amika, they know the things that matter are worth protecting, and showing up for those moments year after year is how trust is earned. That's why customers stay with Amika three times longer. Visit Amika.com and get a quote today. Did you know that the average American only gets 13 grams of protein for breakfast?

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