Susan, your host, welcomes Cat O’Brien to today’s episode. Cat is a 45-year-old single mum to a thirteen-year-old with additional needs. In November 2020, Cat’s partner Jon died suddenly and unexpectedly of a stroke. Cat struggled in her early grief and shrank back from both society and her usual life-loving self. After three months Cat returned to work, where she founded the Rail Industry Bereavement Support Group (UK) and began working with bereaved people on living with grief. Cat believes that as a society, we don’t talk about grief enough. She also believes in the power of sharing one’s personal story as a means to break down the barriers that prevent people from learning how to be a good ally to someone who is grieving.

 

Key Takeaways:

• Cat shares her grief story that began when her soul mate passed away.
• Cat remembers the moment she got to hold her beloved partner’s body after he passed away.
• Cat realized there was no getting back to normal.
• We are not OK with the fact that we are all going to die, and as a result, we don’t talk enough about grief.
• We don’t know the end of the stories we tell ourselves.
• Respecting other people’s grief is sometimes difficult since different people can have different grief stories and perspectives over the one who passed away.
• Cat suffered from the fact that she had no place in her partner’s family grief story.
• Cat talks about goal setting and gratitude.
• Susan and Cat talk about dating and sex while grieving.
• Grieving people need significant support; they can just go back to work three days after their life is turned upside down.
• Remember the power of storytelling that can work as an element of preparation for someone at any given time.

 

Resources

Tendrilsofgrief.com

Email Susan: [email protected]

 

Meet Cat O’Brien

Follow Cat on LinkedIn