The Life Shift

Sally McQuillen on Carrying Her Son’s Light Forward After His Death


Listen Later

What happens when your world is shattered in an instant?

When Sally McQuillen lost her 21-year-old son Christopher in a tragic accident, her life split in two. In this conversation, she shares what it means to keep living with love and purpose while carrying unimaginable loss. Her story reminds us that grief and gratitude can sit side by side, and that choosing to keep your heart open is an act of profound courage.

Three things you’ll hear in this episode:

  • Why sobriety at 25 gave Sally the tools to face later grief with intention
  • How she has carried Christopher’s light forward while honoring her own healing
  • The ways grief reshaped her understanding of strength, vulnerability, and connection
  • Listen to this episode to hear Sally’s raw and beautiful reflections on love, loss, and the choice to keep going.

    Guest Bio:

    Sally McQuillen, LCSW, CADC, is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in addiction recovery, grief, and trauma healing. An avid reader with a background in writing and dance criticism, she began her career in public relations and marketing before pursuing her master’s degree in social work. Sally is the author of Reaching for Beautiful, a memoir about love, loss, and carrying her son Christopher’s spirit forward. She and her husband live on the north shore of Chicago, where they raised their three children.

    https://www.sallymcquillen.com/

    For ad-free early access to episodes, bonus content, and ways to support the show, join the community at www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast.

    Subscribe, rate, and share The Life Shift Podcast wherever you listen. Stay connected at www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com.

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    The Life ShiftBy Matt Gilhooly

    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5

    5

    140 ratings


    More shows like The Life Shift

    View all
    Good Life Project by Jonathan Fields / Acast

    Good Life Project

    3,353 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    113,323 Listeners

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty by iHeartPodcasts

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    27,595 Listeners

    The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is History

    15,723 Listeners

    We Can Do Hard Things by Treat Media and Glennon Doyle

    We Can Do Hard Things

    41,662 Listeners

    The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

    The Mel Robbins Podcast

    20,577 Listeners