THERE have been dark days in the life of therapist Conal Healy.
Days when he didn’t want to get out of bed.
Days when he could be bothered having a shower.
Days when junk food and alcohol comforted him.
Days when the antidepressants didn’t work.
Days when the tears wouldn’t stop flowing.
Days when it seemed his mind was plotting against him.
Days when nothing made sense.
Days of loneliness when the world seemed empty.
These were dark days.
How did Conal survive?
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In 2016, Conal’s PTSD, depression, anxiety were joined by complex grief as his partner of 35 years died from cancer.
Conal went from a husband to a widower.
As part of his grieving journey Conal decided not shave or get a haircut – it was a public display of mourning.
As his beard – his whiskers – grew, Conal gained wisdom about grief and loss.
It took Conal years to recover from the loss of his wife. That journey involved three psychologists, 12 months of intense mourning and 10 journals filled with writing and photos, all of which helped to establish the foundations for his recovery.
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It was on the fourth anniversary of wife’s death in 2020 that Conal’s long career in newspapers came to an end.
After four decades in newspapers, Conal had to find a new job.
“When I was made redundant, I knew my time in newspapers was over,” said Conal.
“What could I do? I had reached 60, survived everything that life had thrown at me. I had been a refo, an Immo, husband, father, carer, survived grief, endured PTSD, depression and anxiety.
“That’s when I realised I had an awful lot of Life Experiences and maybe I might be able to help other people”, he added.
Conal had walked in a valley of darkness and come out the other side – into the sunshine.
In 2022, Conal graduated with a Diploma of Counselling and started Wisdom with Whiskers counselling in the Northern Rivers of NSW.
- Conal is a registered member of the Australian Counselling Association.
- As a migrant (and an economic-refugee) to Australia, Conal has been racially abused.
- He is currently in the process of becoming an Australia citizen.
Conal is currently grieving the loss of his mother, who died in March 2022.
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Want to talk? Email: wisdomwithwhiskers@gmail.com.
Or phone: 0438 559 515.
