I thought loss by suicide was the worst thing that could happen. But grief creates cracks that the wrong people step into. This article is a hard one to read, about control, fear and how easy it is to vanish while still alive. #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideLoss #Grief #CoerciveControl #Vulnerability

Hopping on a train to #London Waterloo 🚆 I’m delivering a session to BW, an office refurb company. ‘Seven Switches’ is all about small shifts in language that can make a big difference when we talk about #suicide - turning fear into #compassion, and silence into support. #DaddyBlackbird 🐦‍⬛💛

Last weekend, Evie, Ada and I joined Sekawomen’s Autumn Reset Retreat 🌿🍂 A day of restorative reflection, sharing our story, hope, self-care and celebration 🎉🎂 Reminder: investing in yourself isn’t indulgent, it’s essential 💛🙏 #SelfCare #Wellbeing #Reflection

Everyone grieves in their own way and time. There is no “normal” timeline, path or flow after suicide loss. The pain will twist and turn, come and go. Be patient, with yourself and with each other 💛 #DaddyBlackbird #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #SuicideLoss #Kindness #Hope 🐦‍⬛🪁

After my husband's suicide, grief left me vulnerable in ways I didn’t see. It stripped away my confidence and my sense of self and it led me to dangerous places where people that couldn't be trusted lurked. This is my toughest chapter yet: #DaddyBlackbird 24 💔 #SuicideLoss #Trauma #Grief

❌ MYTH: “They’re just attention-seeking.” ✔️ FACT: Suicide behaviours are often ways to cope with unbearable pain or to ask for help when words fail. Dismissing this as attention-seeking adds shame. The response matters. It can shape whether someone seeks help or not 💛 #DaddyBlackbird

How do we talk about the parts of #grief we’re ashamed of? After Steve's suicide, grief left me vulnerable in ways I didn’t see. It stripped away my confidence and sense of self and pulled me into the wrong hands. My hardest chapter yet: #DaddyBlackbird No. 24 💔 #SuicideLoss #Trauma #Grief

Just because someone has died doesn’t mean the conversation ends. We still want to talk about them. The ordinary things. The ridiculous things. The painful and the beautiful. Please don’t shy away. That’s where healing lives. #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideAwareness #SuicideLoss #Hope

‼️ People bereaved by suicide are 65% more likely to take their own life ‼️ Grief after suicide often comes with guilt, shame, and stigma. These feelings can isolate and silence people who most need support. We must break the silence, not add to it. #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideAwareness #Grief #Hope

Changing the narrative on suicide doesn’t begin with experts or therapists. It begins with us. With choosing courage over silence. With reaching in, even when we’re unsure what to say 💛 
#DaddyBlackbird #SuicideAwareness #StartTheConversation

Small talk can save lives. 
A comment about the weather. A gentle check-in. A "How have you really been?" 
It might feel like nothing to you, but to someone struggling, it could be a light in the darkness. 
#DaddyBlackbird #SuicideAwareness #SmallTalkSavesLives #ConnectionMatters

❌ MYTH: You should be ‘over it’ by now. ✔️ FACT: There’s no deadline for grief. We don’t move on, we move forward, carrying what we lost. #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideLoss #Grief

Grief changes the rules 💔 After Steve’s suicide I longed to be rescued from the pain. In my latest article I write about that ache for connection, and how it reshapes what safety looks like, leaving you vulnerable and at risk… #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideLoss #Vulnerability #Grief

❌ MYTH: Only close friends and family are affected by a suicide. ✔️ FACT: One single suicide touches on average 135 people - from friends to colleagues to strangers who saw themselves in the story. #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideLoss #SuicideAwareness #Postvention #GriefHasNoRules

Kindness can be tricky at times. We worry about saying the wrong thing. But saying nothing can leave someone feeling more alone. 
You don’t have to be perfect. You just need to be present 💛 
#DaddyBlackbird #SuicideAwareness #SpeakUp #MentalHealthSupport #Compassion 🐦‍⬛

🚨Grief changes the rules 🚨 After Steve died, I longed for rescue - grief lowered my guard and made anything soothing feel safe. In my latest article I write about that ache for connection, and how it reshapes what safety looks like, leaving you all vulnerable and at risk… #DaddyBlackbird

Yesterday I spoke at the Suicide Bereavement UK global conference. It was incredible. My story was heard. My words were appreciated. My grief was validated. I met outstanding people. I learnt loads. I came away richer and stronger. What an epic day 💛 #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideLoss #Belonging

Sometimes the hardest conversations are the ones we avoid. Speaking gently, listening fully, can save more lives than silence ever will 💛🐦‍⬛ #DaddyBlackbird #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #Compassion #Kindness

After my husband died by suicide, even the smallest choices became mountains to climb. Grief doesn’t just break your heart. It hijacks your life and infiltrates every thought you have. I’ve written about living with 35,000 daily decisions. #DaddyBlackbird #Grief #SuicideLoss #DecisionFatigue

❌ MYTH: You should be ‘over it’ by now. ✔️ FACT: There’s no deadline for grief. We don’t move on, we move forward, carrying what we lost. #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideLoss #Grief

After losing my husband to suicide I needed to relearn how to see the beauty in things. Slowly, gradually, I noticed the flowers begin to bloom again 💛🪻 #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideLoss #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #Grief #Loss #Hope 🐦‍⬛

How do you tell a child the truth about suicide? My daughters’ questions came suddenly, and painfully: ✨ “For my birthday, can I have Daddy back?” ✨ “Why didn’t he say goodbye?” I write about parenting through their heartbreak in my latest Substack. #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideAwareness #Grief #Hope

It’s Mindfulness Day – and after such a heavy week, what a good excuse to pause. You deserve a break ❤️‍🩹💛🐦‍⬛ #DaddyBlackbird #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #SelfCare #Kindness

“And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire, and that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears.” | Mark Anthony These words inspired me to face my fears in the wake of grief and loss 💛 #DaddyBlackbird #Grief #Hope

If you’re not feeling as sprightly as usual, give this a try: Think of your energy level and imagine it’s a bank statement. Try applying an imaginary value to each of the debits and credits. Keep your balance topped up by banking those credits whenever you can. #DaddyBlackbird #Hope 💛

This #WorldSuicidePreventionDay25 I’m supporting SoBS to challenge harmful language. “Committed suicide” is outdated, rooted in crime, and fuels stigma. Join thousands urging Oxford & Cambridge dictionaries to drop it from print editions: shorturl.at/75AYT #StopSayingTheCWord

Loss changes everything… It cuts deep - but when we find the strength to guide the pen and control the flow, love and hope can carve deeper still. Redefine your story 💛 #DaddyBlackbird #Grief #Bereavement #SuicideAwareness #Hope 🐦‍⬛

“When we share our stories, it opens up our hearts for other people to share their stories. And it gives us the sense that we are not alone on this journey.” Janine Shepherd 📚❤️📣 #DaddyBlackbird #SuicidePrevention #ShareYourStory #BookSky #Help #Hope 💛🐦‍⬛

Be kind. It’s that simple 💛 #DaddyBlackbird #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #SuicideLoss #SuicidePrevention #Grief #Loss #Kindness #Hope 💛🐦‍⬛

Parenting after suicide loss isn’t just hard. It’s relentless. Holding your kids’ grief while carrying your own. Every question, every responsibility, every fear. In my latest piece I share the reality and a video on supporting children. #DaddyBlackbird #Grief #WorldSuicidePreventionDay

Suicide grief can be very different because it often involves intense feelings of guilt, shame, and unanswered questions. It can also carry stigma, making it difficult to find the right support. Survivors must learn to live in this harsh landscape. #DaddyBlackbird #Grief #ComplexGrief

Sometimes loss is devastating. Suicide can’t be sugar-coated. There is no ‘bright side’. But other losses bring flashes of hope. They open doors that invite new people in. They reveal things we never saw before. And they start whole new chapters we never knew we needed…

I lost my husband Steve to suicide. My prevention work comes from that raw place - sharing grief, breaking silence, dismantling shame and stigma. You don’t need to be an expert to help. You just need to listen, care, and connect 💛 #DaddyBlackbird #SuicidePrevention #ChangingTheNarrative

Parenting after suicide loss isn’t just hard. It’s relentless. Holding your kids’ grief while carrying your own. Every question, every responsibility, every fear. In my latest piece I share the reality and a video on supporting children. #DaddyBlackbird #Grief #WorldSuicidePreventionDay

This month, I’m speaking, sharing, and holding conversations about suicide with schools, workplaces, and communities. At its heart, prevention is human connection 💛 Show up. Listen. Care. That’s how we save lives. #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideLoss #ChangingTheNarrative #Hope

Silence isolates. Stories connect. Suicide prevention starts with: ✨ Safe spaces to talk ✨ Listening without judgment ✨ Signposting to support None of us have all the answers, but every conversation counts 💛 #DaddyBlackbird #EveryLifeMatters #ChangingTheNarrative

Suicide prevention isn’t just for clinicians or policymakers. For me, it’s lived experience. Sharing the raw grief of losing Steve helps break silence and stigma. Every story matters. Every connection can save a life 💛 #DaddyBlackbird #SuicidePrevention #ChangingTheNarrative

Suicide affects family, friends, colleagues, and communities. Pain doesn't get reserved for the people closest. Anyone touched can seek help. Anyone impacted deserves support 💛 #DaddyBlackbird #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #SuicideLoss #Help #Hope

While suicide is relatively rare, exposure to suicide is much more common than most people realise: ➡️ One in five adults have thought of taking their own life ➡️ One in 15 have made a suicide attempt ➡️ For every death by suicide, at least 135 people are potentially impacted #DaddyBlackbird

One suicide impacts far more than one life. Research suggests at least 135 people are affected. Change starts with conversation. Let’s challenge stigma, prioritise mental health, and remember that suicide prevention is everybody’s business. #DaddyBlackbird #ChangingTheNarrative #WSPD2025

❌MYTH: It only happens to certain people. ✔️FACT: #Suicide doesn’t belong to one gender, culture, age, or group. Although we know it’s more common among men, it can affect anyone. We all have a role to play in noticing, listening, and supporting 💛 #DaddyBlackbird #ChangeTheNarrative

SUICIDE SUCKS… It’s spider season, and everywhere I look these hairy, creepy creatures and lurking. People avoid them, run from them, screaming 😱🕸️🕷️ #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideLoss

Grief is exhausting. After Steve’s suicide, a therapist told me to picture my energy like a bank account. Debits drain me. Credits restore me. It doesn’t balance every day, but focusing on credits helps me survive. 
#DaddyBlackbird #MentalHealth #GriefSupport #SelfCare

Research shows that after a loved one takes their own life, those bereaved are 65% more likely to attempt #suicide themselves. In my darkest time, I needed to feel hope, and it arrived in the shape of a blackbird 💛🐦‍⬛ This week’s chapter shares his arrival. #DaddyBlackbird #ChangingTheNarrative

There is no finish line for grief. Particularly after a traumatic loss by suicide. There is only learning to carry it differently. Be patient with those still finding their way 💛 #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideLoss #Grief #Hope

After suicide loss comes guilt, shame, silence. Research shows those bereaved are 65% more likely to attempt #suicide. In my darkest space, a blackbird appeared - #hope in feathered form 💛🐦‍⬛ This week’s chapter shares his arrival. #DaddyBlackbird #ChangingTheNarrative shorturl.at/gL02n

❌ MYTH: It's obvious when someone is thinking about suicide. ✔️FACT: Some people show many signs. Some show very few. Everyone behaves differently. If you're worried, the best thing you can do is ask directly. It could save a life. 💙 #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideAwareness #MentalHealthMatters

Nobody can save you but yourself, and you’re worth saving. It’s a war not easily won, but if anything is worth winning then this is it.” | Charles Bukowski 💛💛💛 #DaddyBlackbird #Selfcare #Compassion #Kindness #ChangeTheNarrative

❌ MYTH: People who talk about suicide aren’t at risk. ✔️ FACT. Talking about suicide is often a call for help, not a sign that someone isn’t serious. Many people who die by suicide have spoken about feeling hopeless or wanting to die. Every conversation matters. #DaddyBlackbird #SuicideAwareness

PLEASE DON’T JUDGE. Unless you’ve lost a loved one to suicide. PLEASE DON’T JUDGE. Unless you’ve experienced that sudden, gut-wrenching, world-destroying, never-the-same-again kind of grief.