Not So Linear

In this week's episode I talk with Rachel, who some of you may recognise from her blog and social media community 'An Unexpected Family Outing'. It's a place for her to share and connect with others, over the loss of her daughter Dorothy.

At 28 weeks, Rachel was diagnosed with severe preclampsia and HELLP syndrome. She was left fighting for her life, whilst having to deliver Dorothy still born.

Prior to Dorothy, Rachel had also experienced two miscarriages, so becoming a mother was something she'd been desperately awaiting. She didn't realise how hard the journey to motherhood would be. However, she fell pregnant again with her daughter Frances, who turned 4 on the day we recorded the episode.

Rachel tells me how they talk about Dorothy with her and how Frances says she lives in the stars.

You can follow Rachel on instagram @unexpectedfamilyouting and her blog www.unexpectedfamilyouting.com

If you have been through a similar experience, you can reach out to Sands, a miscarriage, still birth and new born death support group : www.sands.org.au

You can follow me at @tamsinmillard_

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-so-linear.

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Hey guys, welcome back to Episode 9! This week I chat with James, who is the host of 'The Rut pod', a podcast that explores men's mental health. It's important to note that we do talk about depression and suicidal thoughts, in case this is triggering for you. 

James speaks so openly about losing his grandad, who he was incredibly close to. Quite often people are floored by the grief of a grandparent, yet society can sometimes dismiss it because of the person being elderly. Please remember, your grief is totally valid and James is great proof of this.

We also speak a lot about his struggle with depression and his advice on how to get back on track, by taking small steps to recovery. James is a believer that we must take responsibility for our mental health and that by getting comfortable with the uncomfortable, you can find your way back to peace again.

You can follow him on Instagram here @therutpod and can follow me at @tamsinmillard_

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-so-linear.

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Hey listeners, welcome to Episode 8! In this episode I chat with Dr. Chloe, who is a chartered counselling psychologist that specialises in traumatic loss and grief.  We talk through my 'layers of loss', as I experienced losing my mum twice - once whilst she was alive (due to her mental health condition) and then her passing away when I was 18. We cover:

• Dr Chloe's background and research in trauma and grief
• What is complicated grief?
• What are the symptoms?
• What frameworks / advice can I follow to process my emotions?
• Mental health conditions
• Coping mechanisms for anxiety

Dr. Chloe believes that with the right support, people can overcome unthinkable pain through self compassion. It's an incredible episode!

You can find Dr. Chloe on instagram @drchloe_psychologist

If you are looking for support with your mental health here are some resources:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
https://www.mindaustralia.org.au/

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-so-linear.

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Trigger warning: This episode contains discussions around suicide and self harm. 

Craig fought in one of the bloodiest battles in  Afghanistan, where he lost 10 soldiers within his company and a further 10 to suicide upon returning to the UK. He encountered serious blast injuries and had difficulty adjusting back to 'normal' life. How could anybody else understand what he had just witnessed at war?

He then spiraled in to a path of self destruction, which led to drinking, fighting and sadly three attempts of suicide. Craig was then fighting a war on his own mental health and knew he needed to change. So, he turned to sport to give him purpose and meaning again. He competed in Chicago in the Invictus programme and played rugby for the England deaf team.  Craig also runs a veterans charity, who offer support to ex military.

Thank you to Craig for sharing his story. You can find him on instagram @monaghan3433 and @veteransgarage

Please see below for phone numbers that could help you, or someone else experiencing suicidal thoughts:

Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14
Suicide call back service (Australia): 1300 659 467
Samaritans (UK): 116 123
CALM (UK): 0800 58 58 58

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-so-linear.

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In this week's episode I talk with my friend Sandra, who I met through my Sydney support network 'our grief'.  Sandra received a call to say she'd suddenly lost her mum to suicide and had the exhausting task of returning back to the US to be with her family. We talk about how she brilliantly navigated the return to work, how opening up to peers and a therapist helped her to process the grief and how she is now training to be a mental heath first aid officer. A big thank you to Sandra for coming on to the podcast. She was my first ever guest and we were both very nervous, so please excuse the quality of my interviewing skills etc!

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-so-linear.

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Dr. Jessica Zucker is a Los Angeles-based psychologist specialising in reproductive and maternal mental health. She writes extensively on this topic for outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, New York Magazine, and Vogue. Dr. Zucker is the creator of the #IHadaMiscarriage campaign.

We talk through how her own experience of miscarriage reshaped the way she thought of her own theory, how many women blame and punish themselves for something that is so out of their control and what not to say to people experiencing early pregnancy loss. Her first book I HAD A MISCARRIAGE: A Memoir, a Movement is available worldwide now.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-so-linear.

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Hey guys! Since you said you wanted to hear more from me, I thought why not take the opportunity to send you a pre Mother's Day message. For those of you who are motherless daughter's like me, or may have lost a child, please know it is okay for you to deal with this day in whichever way suits you best. It's also important that if you are supporting someone grieving, that you reach out to check they are okay.

I also chat about my upcoming birthday trip to Tasmania and the great feedback I have had on the podcast so far.

You can follow me on Instagram @tamsinmillard_

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-so-linear.

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In today's episode I talk to Beth French, founder of the UK charity 'Let's Talk about Loss'. Beth's mum passed away when she was 20 and found her grief to be both isolating and confusing. She didn't want other young people to go through the same experience, so she set up her own grief support network. We talk about what helps her to cope in the days where she still finds her grief difficult, the weird things people have said to her since her mums death and how horrendously bad bereavement cards are!

You can find Beth on Instagram at @talkaboutloss or follow their website for more details www.letstalkaboutloss.org

You can find me on instagram @tamsinmillard_

Please remember to rate and review, thank you!

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-so-linear.

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Welcome back listeners! In today's episode I speak with Steve Bland, who lost his wife Rachael to Breast Cancer in September 2018. Rachael was a BBC newsreader and during her cancer diagnosis she set up her BBC Radio 5 Live podcast 'You Me and the Big C', to help support others in their journey. 

Steve talks openly about how they dealt with anticipatory grief and he tells us about the book Rachael wrote for their son Freddie, so he has memories to keep forever. We also discuss how he's navigated life as a young widow, his experience with grief and how it's so important to give yourself time to heal.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-so-linear.

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In today's episode I talk with Kathryn Hooker, who you may recognise from Episode 1! Kathryn lost her mum to cancer in 2015, whilst she was at university. We talk about how she struggled with her mental health for the year after her mum's death and how important it is to find the things that make you feel better in your own grief. As motherless daughters we both have common understanding and share thoughts on how losing someone so close can often create anxiety about the death of others around us. Kathryn's grief has now pushed her to becoming an inspiration for other young grievers, by creating an amazing community through the Dead Parent Club.

Kathryn's instagram: @deadparentclubpodcast

You can follow me on instagram at @tamsinmillard_

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-so-linear.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.