Successfully Supporting Someone With Mental Health Challenges

Available with English captions and subtitles in Spanish.

Get the clear, compassionate guidance you need to support a loved one, colleague, or community member experiencing mental health challenges.

Why This Training Matters

Supporting someone with mental health challenges often brings emotional strain, uncertainty, and fear of getting it wrong. Without clear guidance, supporters may unintentionally withdraw or overextend themselves, increasing stress for everyone involved.

This session clarifies how mental health challenges can shape communication, behavior, and relationships. Understanding these dynamics helps supporters respond more calmly and intentionally, rather than reacting from worry or frustration.

By focusing on empathy, boundaries, and shared responsibility, this training reinforces that effective support does not require having all the answers. Instead, it emphasizes presence, trust, and practical strategies that strengthen connection while protecting well-being.

What You’ll Learn

  • How mental health challenges affect relationships
  • Supportive communication strategies
  • Encouraging help without pressure
  • Boundary-setting that preserves connection
  • Preventing burnout in supporters

Key Takeaways

Participants leave this session with renewed clarity, practical tools, and greater confidence in their ability to support others.

  • Supporting someone with mental health challenges starts with empathy, not expertise, and small, consistent actions often matter most.
  • Clear communication reduces misunderstanding and helps build trust during emotionally difficult moments.
  • Encouraging professional help can be done gently and respectfully without forcing or fixing.
  • Healthy boundaries protect both the supporter and the person receiving care.
  • Caring for yourself is an essential part of caring for others and supports long-term sustainability.
  • Together, these insights reinforce that meaningful support is possible — even in complex or uncertain situations.

Learning Objectives

After viewing this session, participants will be able to:

  • Identify supportive communication strategies that strengthen trust and understanding
  • Differentiate between helpful support and over-involvement
  • Apply boundary-setting techniques that preserve both connection and well-being

Who Should Watch

  • Mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, counselors, and therapists)
  • Health care professionals
  • Community and public health leaders
  • Education and school professionals
  • Faith and community leaders
  • Individuals and families
  • Parents and caregivers
  • Workplace and organizational leaders

Event Details

  • Date Recorded: February 3, 2026
  • Length: 60 minutes
  • Presenters: Samara Grossman, LICSW & Ann Roselle, DNP, PMHNP-BC

Watch this free session anytime to gain practical guidance for supporting someone with mental health challenges with confidence and care.

Topics Covered During This Training

  • Can you share a bit about your own experience with mental health care?
  • Can you paint a broad picture of what mental health care looks like?
  • Do you find that there are some common disconnects between clinicians and non-professional supporters?
  • Getting involved in a loved one’s mental well-being can be challenging. What are some fears people commonly have—like saying the wrong thing—and how can they handle that?
  • Ann, you mentioned your husband being very supportive in your own journey. How did the two of you get to a place of open communication?
  • Samara, how do these concepts relate to your work with families over the years?
  • Why is consistency so important in these support roles?
  • How can someone tell the difference between a tough time and a situation where professional help might be needed?
  • If someone wants to encourage a loved one to seek help but doesn’t know how to bring it up, where should they start?
  • Can you explain the concept of “warm handoff”?
  • What have supporter roles looked like in your life?
  • Do you find that there are generally certain boundaries that are more difficult for supporters to maintain?
  • Can you define self-care? From your perspective, why is it so important to include in this conversation?
  • Does the way a supporter takes care of themselves influence their loved one? If so, how?
  • Can you speak to the importance of involving supporters in treatment planning and decision-making?
  • Support doesn’t only come from family—it can be teachers, coworkers, or supervisors. Where are we doing well, and where could we do better?
  • What resources would you recommend for someone new to supporting a person with mental health challenges?
  • As somebody with lived experience and somebody with professional training, what’s the main takeaway you hope people leave with today?

The information discussed is intended to be educational and should not be used as a substitute for guidance provided by your health care provider. Please consult with your treatment team before making any changes to your care plan.

Resources

You may also find this additional information useful:

About Samara Grossman, LICSW

Samara Grossman, LICSW, is the director of the Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness at the Boston Public Health Commission and a psychotherapist specializing in internal family systems therapy. She is a nationally recognized expert in trauma-informed care, PTSD, perinatal mental health, and health equity. She also previously worked as a clinical social worker at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

About Ann Roselle, DNP, PMHNP-BC

Ann Roselle, DNP, PMHNP-BC, is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at a federally qualified health center in Connecticut, specializing in addiction and serious mental illness. She is a part-time lecturer at the Yale School of Nursing and shares her lived experience to raise awareness and help others through our Deconstructing Stigma initiative.

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