Caroline Roodhouse

@daddyblackbird.bsky.social

13529 Followers 10635 Following

Suicide Widow | Amazon Best-Selling Author | A Story of Horror to Hope | Communicator | Mentor | Mum | Mental Health | UK Read: https://daddyblackbird.com/book/ 💛

Grief drains us. Small joys restore us.
The shape of hope
A blackbird hovers above a sandy desert beside a patch of cactuses. The accompanying text reads: we don’t recover from complex grief. We learn to live beside it.
Behind every suicide statistic lies hundreds of hearts trying to make sense of the loss.
A blackbird sits on a rock against a blue sky. Some bluebell flowers are growing between the rocks. The text reads: there are so many beautiful things in this world, don’t ever let the difficult moments make you forget that.
You don’t have to feel certain to feel hope
Grief doesn’t expire
Even quiet strength gets tired
Two birds sit on a park bench beside a cluster of butterflies. The accompanying text reads: if this world were a little kinder… we might all want to stay in it a little longer.
Suicide doesn’t discriminate. Compassion shouldn’t either.
You don’t have to be ‘close’ to someone to be affected
Small steps still count
Every story matters. Every connection can save a life.
Compassion starts with a conversation.
You don’t get over it, you grow around it.
Small talk creates connection. Connection creates hope.
A photograph showing a hand holding three copies of the book Daddy Blackbird against a field of grass and daffodils
Sometimes the loudest cries for help are silent
Asking for help isn’t attention-seeking. It’s a sign of someone fighting to stay.
Your story isn’t over
One life lost. 135 hearts shattered.
PAUSE P – Pay full attention A – Acknowledge without fixing U – Use questions and silence wisely S – Show understanding E – Empathise, not analyse
Better words exist. Let’s use them.
Choosing yourself isn’t selfish—it’s survival.
Small talk creates connection. Connection creates hope.
Suicide doesn’t discriminate. Compassion shouldn’t either.
The image shows a blue background with white puffy clouds. In the bottom right corner is the text www.daddyblackbird.com and above it sits a small illustrated blackbird. In the bottom right corner is an illustration of a weight scale. The title at the top reads Debits and Credits and below this is a table with two columns. The right hand column reads: A pointless meeting Unexpected bills Grumpy children Stressful project Feeling poorly Cancelled plans The left columns reads: A long walk Cooking a Sunday roast A trip to the cinema A wild swim A day volunteering An hour with a good book
One life lost. 135 hearts shattered.
Compassion starts with a conversation.
You don’t get over it, you grow around it.
Grief after suicide is unique. There’s no rush to ‘move on.’
A group of birds sit on the branch of a tree. Above the branch a blackbird is hovering. The accompanying text reads: We may not be able to take away each others’ pain but we can sit with each other on it
Survival can look like strength. Or denial. Or both.
We don’t recover from complex grief, we learn to live beside it.
The sun rises and we try again
How can we support those who are grieving?
Even the best listeners need someone to listen to them
"You didn’t have to be close to be changed."
A photograph showing a hand holding three copies of the book Daddy Blackbird against a field of grass and daffodils
It isn’t weak to ask for help. It’s like using a lamp when you are lost in the dark.
All the things we worried about that actually turned out fine…
Real care begins in the spaces others miss
Grief doesn’t expire
Better words exist. Let’s use them.
Several photos of men hugging and kissing
Two birds sit on a park bench beside a cluster of butterflies. The accompanying text reads: if this world were a little kinder… we might all want to stay in it a little longer.
Clear words save lives.
“Every suicide leaves behind a legacy of loss.” — World Health Organization
“Suicide leaves questions that never have answers.” — Kay Redfield Jamison
Brighter days can come.
There is no right way to grieve
Here with you
A range of photos of the book, Daddy Blackbird as well as friendship bracelets
Knowledge reduces fear
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
A photo of three copies of the book, Daddy Blackbird, held up against the blue sky background with the smiling shining through
You are not what hurt you— you are what survived."
We are all broken… That’s how the light gets in