Biography
I am Cath Lloyd, TEDx speaker, author of ‘When Dad Became Joan’ and an expert in supporting those struggling to release the pain of loss and flourish through change.
In 1987, my Dad made the shocking confession that he wished to become a woman. Through the years of emotional, conflicting and tormenting thought processes, I wondered if life would ever feel normal again. You see my Dad had sensed he was different from the age of 5 and spent 45 years learning how to become the expert in deception. So, when he opened up to me it was a total shock.
We all have a story about coming to terms with change, whether this is transgender reassignment, separation, loss, illness, disability or living through another trauma. As we live through our story we do the best we can with the strategies we have at our disposal. Sometimes these are not enough and we have to search long and hard to find alternatives.
As an adult education teacher working in male prison, I learnt how to see the other side of the story. To see the exception to the rule, that life isn’t always clear cut. Life is constantly changing sometimes for the better and some it takes time to adjust to. We have to learn how to adjust to start living our new normal.
‘When Dad Became Joan’ is my story of how, for many years, I fought against my Dad’s gender reassignment. I open my heart to show the conflicts I finally managed to conquer. The strategies I ultimately used and teach today to help other transgender families and those living with the bereavement cycle of change and loss.
And you know, life will change again, but as long as you learn from the previous challenges life has thrown at you will be better prepared to find your way through the trauma and come out the other side smiling and with warmth in your heart.
To learn more please go to:
https://cathlloyd.co.uk
https://whendadbecamejoan
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathlloydmakethechange/
https://www.youtube.com/user/thecathlloyd/playlists
https://www.facebook.com/cath.lloyd.334
https://www.facebook.com/whendadbecamejoan
https://www.instagram.com/lloydcath/
https://www.instagram.com/whendadbecamejoan/
https://twitter.com/CLmakethechange
