Casey Mulligan Walsh, author of The Full Catastrophe, joined host Lisa Keefauver for a profound conversation on how much loss shapes us more deeply than we realize—especially when it's modeled by those we'd turn to for guidance. In this raw and insightful conversation, Casey reveals how early trauma and unspoken grief patterns silently influence our lives. From surviving the sudden death of her parents as a child to navigating the chaos of divorce and the heartbreak of losing her son, Casey shares her journey toward reclaiming agency, understanding her parts, and finding peace in the liminal spaces of life.
Discover how early grief beliefs—built on myths, avoidance, and emotional suppression—can trap us in survival mode and obscure our true selves. Casey shares concrete frameworks like parts therapy and Viktor Frankl’s tragic optimism that help us embrace life's uncertainties without losing hope. You'll learn how resilience isn’t about denying pain but about developing a muscle of hope, presence, and acceptance in the face of ongoing tragedy.
We break down: the importance of curiosity and compassion in rewriting our stories; the way early loss robs us of roots and stability—and how to rebuild both through choice; and the role of reflective practices in unveiling the narratives driving our behavior. Casey’s story challenges us to see that even in the darkest times, a shift in perspective can foster peace, purpose, and aliveness.
Casey Mulligan Walsh writes about life at the intersection of grief and joy, embracing uncertainty, and the nature of true belonging. Her award-winning memoir, The Full Catastrophe: All I Ever Wanted, Everything I Feared, was released from Motina Books in February 2025. She has written for The New York Times, HuffPost, Next Avenue, Modern Loss, The Manifest-Station, Hippocampus, Barren Magazine, and numerous other literary magazines; her essay, “Still,” published in Split Lip, was nominated for Best of the Net. She is a founding editor of In a Flash literary magazine and serves as an ambassador and Board member for the Family Heart Foundation. Casey lives in upstate New York with her husband, Kevin, and too many books to count. When not traveling, they enjoy visits from their four children and ten grandchildren—the very definition of “the full catastrophe.”
LEARN MORE ABOUT CASEY: www.caseymulliganwalsh.com. Substack newsletter Embracing the Full Catastrophe; Facebook @Casey Mulligan Walsh, Casey Mulligan Walsh, Author; Instagram @caseymulliganwalsh, LinkedIn @Casey Mulligan Walsh, BlueSky @caseymulliganwalsh; Threads @Casey Mulligan Walsh
Lisa Keefauver is an author, keynote speaker, narrative therapy trained social worker, widow, assault & cancer survivor turned grief activist on a mission to help us center aliveness in a world full of loss by reimagining the narratives of grief, one conversation at a time.
LEARN MORE ABOUT LISA: at https://lisakeefauver.com/
ACCESS GRIEF SUPPORT: https://lisakeefauver.com/support
READ BOOK: Grief is a Sneaky Bitch: An Uncensored Guide to Navigating Loss. https://bookshop.org/p/books/grief-is-a-sneaky-bitch-an-uncensored-guide-to-navigating-loss-lisa-keefauver/ffd73d6b6921e6b5?ean=9781477329306&next=t&
READ ESSAYS: AFGO with Lisa Keefauver on Substack - https://afgowithlisakeefauver.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips
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