We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elizabeth Catignani. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elizabeth below.
Alright, Elizabeth thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?
One of the most defining moments in my life was when I lost my late husband and infant son within a very short time period. My son was stillborn after a full-term pregnancy, which was the first earth shattering loss I had every experienced. Then just 18 months later, my husband Brian, a Special Forces soldier, was killed in action while serving a 6-month deployment overseas. Again, my world was turned completely upside down and I had to rebuild my life from the ground up while grief stricken and heartbroken. I experienced both of these losses by the age of 27 and spent years on an intense healing journey, looking for creative ways to process all of the grief and feelings that I was working through. I had always felt pulled to work in the mental health and wellness field, so I eventually turned my focus to helping other young widows and women who had experienced loss. I felt passionate about helping others once again find hope and connect with joy on their healing journeys.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
The losses I’ve experienced are what led to me into coaching and starting my online platform and blog, Her Creative Wellness. Through my healing, I also felt inspired to write a book, “Creative Grieving: A Hip Chick’s Path from Loss to Hope,” along with “The Creative Grieving Workbook: A Companion Guide and Journal.” This year I launched a podcast with a dear friend and fellow coach, called Creating Space for Grief & Hope. My passion is to provide grief education and healing tools for other women who are in the process of rebuilding their lives after loss. There are fortunately more grief and healing resources in existence compared to when I began my grief journey. However, while many are putting out information around grief, I often find that the elements of hope and joy are lacking. It’s so important for grievers to know that it is possible to experience deep joy again and that there are many creative pathways to healing. While we must be affirmed in our grief, we must also find the inspiration to welcome joy and gratitude back into our lives. There is a lot of beauty to be celebrated as we heal, and it’s essential to know that everyone’s journey is unique. I focus on the holistic process of healing and how it impacts individuals on every level – mind, body, and spirit. Grief touches every aspect of our lives, and I provide an ever-growing list of healing resources on my website. My goal is to be a supportive resource for both grievers early in their journey as well as those who have been on their healing path for many years.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
There was definitely a point in time, very early in my grief process, that I couldn’t have imagined being in the space I am now – able to offer help and support to others on their journeys. After my late husband died, I remember barely being able to get out of bed for weeks. I felt like I had to reinvent my entire life. I was completely overwhelmed and there were many weeks and months where I had to literally take things one step, or even one breath, at a time. I didn’t know if I could ever get back to truly living again. It took a strong support system of friends and family to help get me back on my feet, and I’m grateful that I chose to lean on them during that time in my life. It can often be hard to ask others for help, or allow help when it’s offered, but in times when we’re suffering it can be life saving to have support around you. I’ve always considered myself a strong person, but there is no reason anyone should have to grieve alone. There is so much grief in the world on a daily basis, we are a lot less alone than we think. It’s not the most comfortable topic to have a conversation around, but it needs to be normalized as much as possible because it’s simply a natural part of life. Through leaning on people that I trusted, going to therapy, and processing my pain, I was gradually able to start feeling hope and inspiration again. But I had to do the hard and messy work of facing my grief so that I could climb up out of despair. I’ve learned over the years that by sharing my story and allowing vulnerability, I’ve been able to connect with others and create new friendships that have empowered me along my path. The coaches and counselors I met along my journey inspired me to help others and become a part of the healing community.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One of the biggest lessons that I’ve had to unlearn through my healing journey is that I have less control over the unfolding of life than I used to imagine. I’ve had to continuously surrender to the unknown and learn to release that invisible sense of control. Things often don’t happen on the timelines we’ve created, and I’ve had to become more flexible and do more embracing of the ebbs and flows. Life isn’t a neat and tidy process, and sometimes I have to take a step back and allow things to happen at their own pace rather than force or fight against it. The process and pacing of grief is unpredictable and it can bring you for quite the ride. When we live in a time where everything is fast paced, it’s tempting to want to try and quickly heal and “move on,” but that mindset is not helpful or self-compassionate. This will just create more of an internal struggle or more grief because we don’t actually “move on” from loss, we can only move forward and allow it to change us. While it’s great to have goals and plans, I’ve learned that there also has to be a balance with allowing time for slowing down, being in the now, and truly accepting what is. Healing involves being present and more gentle with ourselves. It’s an ongoing process that is always shifting and evolving. There is no finish line to rush towards, and over the years I’ve been shifting to focus more on the adventure that life brings and finding more peace and meaning in each day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hercreativewellness.com
- Instagram: @hercreativewellness
- Facebook: Her Creative Wellness
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/hercreativewellness
- Twitter: @HerCWellness
Image Credits
The Hazel Club Photography