Ep. 18 Justin Caffrey on how the death of his baby son forced him to reconstruct himself to survive his grief
From high-flying banker to kangaroo parenting, Justin Caffrey takes us through a searingly honest account of his experience when his second son Joshua was born fifteen weeks early and life as they knew it stopped for the rest of the family. Forced to live in the south of Spain near the NICU unit where their son battled for survival, their son’s ongoing dance between life and death would change Justin’s perspective on almost everything in his life. After Joshua’s death, just short of his first birthday, Justin’s suppressed grief would eventually scream to be addressed, forcing Justin into a whole new way of being in the world. He generously shares with listeners what this journey was like for him, the abyss of grief that he faced, along with suicidal ideation and eventual acceptance of his grief and the rebuilding of family and career after trauma. Justin describes being surrounded by friends and family at a barbecue yet feeling totally alone and desolate. It is a poignant reminder to all of us to not forget our grieving loved ones, even though the outside can appear ‘normal’.
In the following episode of Shapes Of Grief, we shall talk to Beatrice Caffrey, mother of Joshua and married to Justin, for her maternal perspective of multiple miscarriage and the death of her beloved baby Joshua.
About Shapes of Grief:
Shapes of Grief is an internationally recognized organization dedicated to enhancing competency around loss, grief and bereavement literacy. Curated by Psychotherapist and grief specialist Liz Gleeson, Shapes of Grief equips individuals with the tools and expertise necessary for understanding and supporting the complex needs of the bereaved, or people grieving any type of loss.
With a curriculum that has been meticulously developed to include the most comprehensive evidence-based material available, Shapes Of Grief stands out as the only program to feature contributions from international grief experts. The award-winning online programme offers different levels of training to accurately meet the needs of each learner.
Don’t wait to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most, sign-up HERE for our FREE Masterclass in Loss & Grief.
Note from Liz:
I hope you're all getting something really beneficial from the Shapes Of Grief podcast. I want to send out a huge thanks to those of you who have sponsored the podcast so far. I'm delighted to let you know that there is a new sponsorship option of just $1 per month - I'm hoping this will encourage more listeners to sponsor us and help to keep us going.
Become a sponsor for as little as $1 per month! Your support is much appreciated. ♥️
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