Depression spreads like a contagion through families, affecting everyones lives, especially childrens. The spouses of people with depression are several times more likely to become depressed themselves; their children are four to six times more likely. Drawing from a comprehensive, long-term study of resilient children from depressed families, Out of the Darkened Room outlines a wide array of prevention strategies, from the family meeting to open and sustained communication on the subject of mental illness. Dr. Beardslee weaves together his own personal and clinical experiences with the emerging scientific research, the key theoretical concepts, and the steps families need to take in order to make sense of the illness.