Chris Coulter: Losing His Daughter Maddie to Suicide and Finding Purpose in Her Legacy

Please note: this episode contains open discussion about suicide, child loss, and grief. If you are struggling, please reach out to Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org  In 2015, Chris Coulter lost his 14-year-old daughter Maddie to suicide. What he has built in her memory and the parents he has helped along the way, is one of the most moving stories I have had the privilege of sharing on this podcast. Chris joins me from Toronto, Canada, where he is the founder of MentorWell, an organisation dedicated to helping parents recognise the warning signs in their teenagers before it's too late. In this conversation we talk about Maddie. Who she was. The factors Chris believes contributed to her struggles, including a bitter divorce and her withdrawal from competitive swimming which had given her structure and purpose. And the long, devastating road of grief that followed. But this is also a conversation about hope. About finding meaning after the unimaginable. About how Chris now feels Maddie beside him every single day as his co-pilot in this work. We talk about: How grief really affects you over ten years -- not the version people tell you about, the real one The difference between how teenage boys and girls show mental health struggles, and why it matters Chris's community "When Something Feels Off" -- nearly 200 members across 20 countries and how it's helping parents feel less alone The Teen Signal Check tool, a simple 14 question green, yellow, red framework that has already been used by over 10,000 parents to assess whether their concerns about their teenager need urgent attention Why the most important thing you can do as a parent is listen... not fix, not advise, just listen How to support a friend or family member who has lost someone to suicide, and what not to say And the moment Chris stopped trying to return to the person he was before Maddie died, and found peace in becoming someone new.  About ChrisChris Coulter is the founder of The MentorWell, a Toronto-based organisation helping parents recognise warning signs in their teenagers earlier, and helping employers support the working parents on their teams.His work is rooted in the loss of his daughter Maddie, who died on April 11, 2015 at the age of fourteen. Everything he has built since exists because of her.Chris is the author of Wake Up, You Could Lose Your Teen to Suicide, a mental health columnist for Healthing.ca, and a keynote speaker on youth mental health and workplace wellbeing. His Teen Signal Check awareness tool has been completed by more than 10,000 parents across 100 countries.He believes earlier awareness changes outcomes. For families. For workplaces. For the people inside both.LinksThe MentorWell website thementorwell.comParent Support Group:  https://www.skool.com/thementorwell-community-circle-8475/aboutParent Awareness Tool https://www.thementorwell.com/teen-signal-checkLinkedIn profile:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriscoultermentorwell/ Support: Samaritans: 116 123 / samaritans.org PAPYRUS (prevention of young suicide): 0800 068 4141 / papyrus-uk.org Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): 0800 58 58 58 / thecalmzone.net  SOBS -- Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide: 0300 111 5065, open every day 9am-7pm / uksobs.com / [email protected] Connect with Fran: Website: www.mojo-motivator.com Send us Fan MailIf you have a story that you think would be good for the podcast, please do get in touch by emailing [email protected].