Transforming Grief: Navigating Loss Through the Power of Creativity. School of Rock Bottom 13: T.M/O

[TW//Sudden death of a parent and grief] 8 million people suffered from the sudden death of someone close to them last year. Since the pandemic, 1 in 8 have experienced bereavement and 10-20% will go on to suffer from complex grief or prolonged grief. Today I welcome T.M/O who is a multidisciplinary artist, notorious wordsmith, and an exceptionally inspirational character! UK based T has been performing her hard hitting spoken word since 2017, on stages nationwide from Edinburgh to Weymouth. Most guests on the podcast have been in recovery a long time from their rock bottom and have the benefit of time and, often, much therapy and support to get them where they are today. This episode is quite different as T messaged me on social media wanting support for herself AND to share her story - however, she is still very much in the process and somewhat raw, only looking now to seek therapy and further healing. This lens will speak to many in the same boat and I congratulate T for her bravery and generosity to come and speak with us all. During the pandemic, T's mum was in Italy and suddenly and, completely without warning, died in her sleep leaving her having to deal with the pain and grief of her passing whilst in and out of lockdown. Broke and isolated, T had to start a fundraising campaign to arrange a flight to Italy and also rescue her mum's dog. Estranged from her father, who told her they was transgender aged 16, T's mental health spiralled into a grief triggered depression that led to suicidal thoughts. Today, T is in a much, much stronger place but is open to starting therapy and suspects she may be suffering from complex grief. With the help of her friends and her creativity T has found herself in a position where she wants to tell her story to help others know they are not alone in their pain. Delving deeply into the human psyche and back out again, T writes in faith that she can change the world, belly by belly. She speaks of political hypocrisies that we sit on so comfortably, she talks of the relationship to ego, to art, to the process, and to each other. She is also a visual artist, and held her debut solo exhibition in 2022 for Leeds Poetry Festival. T is both the poetry and the painting, the words and the vision, the chaos and the calm - nunaced and authentic, this artist will change the world, belly by belly if it’s the last thing she does. Currently working on various collaborative projects under the name Finding T.M/O - and performing at various festivals over 2023 including Rosa Festival. Topics 0:00 Intro 2:24 T's rock Bottom 9:50 Family relationships 12:50 Funding strength in oneself 16:38 Are there 5 stages of grief? 24:09 Complicated/complex/prolonged grief 28:06 What things have helped you in your grieving process? 32:40 T's parent coming out as transgender 36:15 Advice for those starting out working in the creative arts This Podcast is not for profit but my goal is to break even. To help me make more please donate here. Thank you! https://bit.ly/3kSucAs If you've been affected by any of the issues discussed on today's episode we recommend contacting the following organisations: https://www.meetup.com/bereavement-support-group/ Follow T Instagram - https://instagram.com/t.m___o Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TM0nterisi Twitter - https://twitter.com/T_monterisi Website - https://shineliketmo.com Follow Oliver Instagram - https://bit.ly/3IemHLY Twitter - http://bit.ly/3GQYj2l Facebook - http://bit.ly/3w8S1Gx LinkedIn - http://bit.ly/3kp4ymC TikTok - https://bit.ly/3YGLsYm Listen or watch on:  Spotify - https://bit.ly/44P1fHe YouTube - https://youtu.be/Z7arhSYC10s Apple - https://apple.co/41IrJt4 or search 'School of Rock Bottom' where you listen to your podcasts.