my daughter, myself
My Daughter, Myself
A quest towards understanding in the face of grief and loss.
Grief and mourning are taboo subjects in our society, so how do we interact with the world when our own has been ripped apart by loss? People’s struggles with mental health and parenting are also topics that are rarely discussed, so where do we turn when we feel unable to cope?
Grief has been a recurrent theme in my life, with the loss of my youngest brother by suicide, the loss of my mother and then the most painful loss, of my beloved daughter, Simone, who died in a car accident when she was twenty-one. My Daughter, Myself is my journey towards understanding the complex mother–daughter relationship I had with Simone, and the complexities and individuality of the grief experience. I also explore my challenges with parenting, depression, anxiety and a harsh inner critic.
Over the years, as I worked as a counsellor, I heard about other people’s experiences of grief, loss, anxiety, depression, and their parenting dramas. The counselling room wasn’t the right place to share my story with others, but as I reflected about how much I’d learned from others’ experiences, I was moved to write about my own. I was also motivated by a desire to create a legacy for Simone, as she has taught me so much. I hope my story resonates with you and helps you to find healing and peace in your own life.
I hope the sharing of my story helps you to find healing and peace in your own life. Get your copy.
‘For most people, love is the most profound source of pleasure in our lives, while the loss of those we love is the most profound source of pain. Love and loss are two sides of the same coin.’
Connie Easterbrook – Bio
I’m a professional counsellor, with qualifications in emotionally focused therapy as well as counselling and workplace training. These days, I run a small private practice and I also work as a counsellor and relationship educator for Relationships Australia.Given my personal experiences, I chose to work in the grief and loss field for many years, providing training and facilitating support groups, and I spoke publicly about both suicide postvention, and grief and loss.
My Daughter, Myself is my first book. In 2016, my short story ‘Big Grief ’ was published in the Hunter Writers Centre publication, Grieve.
‘Connie took me on a journey that was not only deeply moving but also inspiring and hopeful. At times, I felt as if she were writing directly to me!’