Dax Shepard reveals how wife Kristen Bell copes with depression: ‘I Used to Try to Fix It’

Dax Shepard opened up about how he supports his wife, Kristen Bell, during her struggles with depression, sharing insights into their relationship on the November 25 episode of his Armchair Expert podcast.

Discussing his own coping mechanisms for depression with guest Anna Kendrick, Shepard revealed how Bell’s mental health challenges often differ from his. “Kristen has depression, so hers won’t necessarily be incident driven,” he explained. “It’s not like she has a specific thing. She’ll just have a wave of it. She’ll sleep a lot, and there’s nothing I can do nor do I think I should do.”

The 49-year-old actor described how he recognizes when Bell, 44, is experiencing a depressive episode, noting she enters a “slump” during these times. “She’s gonna sleep a lot for a while, and then she’s gonna come out of it,” he said. Early in their relationship, this used to alarm him. “I was like, ‘Is this gonna be forever?'” he admitted. Over time, however, Shepard learned to navigate the cycles, observing, “Now that I’ve gone through the cycle enough… I know it’s gonna be over.”

Shepard shared the steps he takes to support Bell during these periods, focusing on gentle encouragement rather than trying to “fix” her feelings. “I will gently [ask], ‘Hey, love. Have you checked in with your psychiatrist lately? I’m not saying you need to do anything. Just, like, have you checked in with your psychiatrist?'” he said.

In the past, Shepard admitted he would try to talk Bell out of her sadness by listing positive aspects of her life or suggesting gratitude exercises. Now, he takes a different approach. “One thing I’ll still do, and she likes this, is [saying], ‘Let’s go for a walk or let’s go for a hike.’ Just encouraging, let’s go move around,” he added.

Bell, who has been open about her mental health journey, has often shared her struggles with anxiety and depression. While she once kept her experiences private, Shepard encouraged her to speak publicly, drawing from his own openness about recovering from drug addiction.

Married since 2013, Bell and Shepard share two children, Lincoln, 11, and Delta, 9. Through their honesty and mutual support, the couple continues to advocate for breaking the stigma around mental health.