Prominent parenting expert Justin Coulson has opened up about the tragic loss of his nephew, admitting he was “not doing well”.
In an emotional post, shared on social media on Tuesday, the Sunshine Coast father-of-six told followers of the death of his nephew Logan by suicide on Sunday night.
“Logan was the most energetic and delightful kid I know. Kind. Fun. Laughing all the time,” Coulson said.
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“Logan was staying at my parents’ house the night he took his life. My mum and dad — his Nan and Pop — found him on Monday morning,” he said.
“Too late to help. Too late to do anything except scream ‘No’.”
Coulson, a well-known author and podcaster, is also well-known for his online parenting service Happy Families where he offers advice to parents on raising children.
“I’m not doing so well. My heart is shattered. Shattered for Logan. But also for his parents and siblings, and for my parents. I don’t want sympathy here, though. That’s not what this post is for.”
Coulson used the tragedy to try to raise awareness of the disproportionate effects of suicide and mental health issues on young men in Australia.
“Please, please, please, PLEASE be kind,” he said.
“Be compassionate. Be gentle. Be inclusive. Be supportive. Be less critical and judgmental and more of a cheerleader.
“Please hug your kids … love them and make sure they know it. They have to know they matter.”
His post received more than a thousand messages of support from people sharing their heartbreak and was shared more than seven thousand times.
Coulson expressed the importance of finding the words to express the pain of the loss of a loved one after receiving many responses from friends saying they “have no words”.
“Share their stories. Feel their pain. Elevate their experience. Find. The. Words. They’re there. And we need to share them.”
“Everyone needs someone to talk to. Everyone needs to know they matter. Everyone needs to feel seen, heard, and valued.”
If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For further information about depression contact beyondblue on 1300 224 636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.
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