Hi mapleleaf68,

Depression can be heavy. I had a depressed ex-girlfriend, and she said even things like cuddling and telling him everything will be all right can make things even worse. I think you just have to give him the space he needs to work things through while still being there when he needs someone. Perhaps find out the specific reasons why his ex won’t let him see his kids, and then he can prove that he is working to address them. Depression often means you are moving away from something you should be moving towards. Just trying to start to make things better should hopefully start to help him. There tends to usually be a lot of bitterness in these types of disputes, so perhaps working with a positive third party can help.