Some moments split life in two. For psychotherapist and author Sally McQuillen, that moment came when her 21-year-old son, Christopher, died in a tragic accident.
In this heartfelt conversation, Sally shares how she’s learned to carry her son’s light forward while continuing to live with purpose. She talks about the tools sobriety gave her, the ways grief reshaped her understanding of strength, and why gratitude has been essential in surviving the unthinkable.
This is an episode for anyone navigating loss, parenting through grief, or searching for hope in heartbreak.
---
Guest Bio
Sally McQuillen, LCSW, CADC, is a psychotherapist specializing in addiction recovery, grief, and trauma healing. She is the author of *Reaching for Beautiful*, a memoir about love, loss, and carrying her son Christopher’s spirit forward. Sally lives on the north shore of Chicago with her husband, where they raised their three children.
👉 Learn more about Sally and her work:
Website: https://www.sallymcquillen.com
Book (Reaching for Beautiful): https://www.sallymcquillen.com/reaching-for-beautiful
---
Topics We Cover
- What sobriety at 25 taught Sally about resilience
- Parenting through fear and joy
- Surviving child loss and carrying forward light
- Grief as both devastation and unexpected gift
- The power of therapy, vulnerability, and connection
grief healing, child loss story, surviving child loss, grief and gratitude, trauma recovery podcast, addiction and grief, Sally McQuillen, Reaching for Beautiful, parenting through grief, how to cope with loss
---
Call to Action
If this conversation resonates, please:
- Like this video to help more people find it
- Comment below with your reflections or story — connection matters
- Subscribe for more real stories of life-altering moments
- Listen to ad-free early releases on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast
- More episodes at: https://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com
Timestamps
00:00 Intro: Some moments split life in two
02:40 Why Sally’s sobriety prepared her for grief
09:12 Parenting Christopher, a beautiful wild soul
19:56 Loss and the choice to keep living
33:00 The healing power of therapy and EMDR
43:41 Parenting and marriage through grief
52:36 Advice to her past self
---
Connect with The Life Shift Podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelifeshiftpodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgilhooly
