(Pictures from 2016-2017)
WHILE working at the Tweed Daily News, Conal helped to raise – with his wife Anna – their two children. In 2014, Anna was diagnosed with lung cancer, she was treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and went into remission. In 2015, Anna was diagnosed with breast cancer, she was treated successfully. In January 2016, Anna was diagnosed with brain cancer, she died in June of that year.
Conal went from husband to widower. Their children, motherless.
As part of his grieving journey Conal decided not shave or get a haircut – it was a public display of mourning. In the months followed the death of his wife, the once-trimmed beard (and hair) grew into something resembling a “facial hedge”. As his beard – his whiskers – grew, Conal gained wisdom about grief and loss, hence Wisdom with Whiskers.
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 helped to establish the foundations for his recovery.
“In my mind, I went mad (with grief) for a year. I cried when I needed to cry. I ate too much junk food. Made too many trips to the bottle shop.”
Grief survivor, Conal Healy.
“In my mind, I went mad (with grief) for a year. I cried when I needed to cry. I ate too much junk food. Made too many trips to the bottle shop. And watched too much bad TV. Despite all of those things, I kept going forward. I knew there were better days ahead,” reflected Conal.
It was on the fourth anniversary of Anna’s death in 2020 that Conal’s long career in journalism came to an end. After four decades in newspapers, Conal had to find a new career.
“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 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.
In 2022, Conal graduated with a Diploma of Counselling. He has recently completed a Art Therapy for Positive Wellness course.
Conal is also a registered therapist with the Australian Counselling Association.
Background: In 2013, Conal was diagnosed with PTSD as a result of being physically abused as a six-year old schoolboy in Ireland. In the course of his life, Conal has been treated for depression, anxiety and grief/loss.
Conal is currently grieving the loss of his mother, who died in March 2022.
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 now in a long-term relationship.
“I might be able to help other people.”
— Conal Healy, Survivor
Hobbies: When Conal isn’t working, he enjoys renovating at home, taking photos, travelling, reading, walking, bushwalking and throwing a squeaky toy for the family dog, Pip.
