Speaker Spotlight: Kathy Mullen

Follow

It was just over two years ago that Kathy Mullen lost her son to suicide. Eric was bright and kind and oh so generous, but after the traumatic loss of his father, Eric struggled with his mental health. Kathy and Eric struggled to find the support he needed during that time. Programs and facilities were expensive and far and few between. There was a devastating lack of freely available resources and support for those in crisis. Programs that could have helped Eric choose to live rather than end his life.


On October 2, 2018, Kathy said goodbye to her son and made a promise to do whatever she could to help others prevent this situation. Kathy says, “I know you can’t save everyone, but what I can do is make a difference in the lives of others.”


The two years following Eric’s death have been a journey for Kathy. Her grief and mourning, though debilitating at times, only reinforced the promise she made to her son. It is out of this promise that Kathy formed her nonprofit, Mullen’s Miracles.


“Mullen’s Miracles is providing individualized options, respective support systems, and support provisions to those on the edge, those assisting others in crisis and those that have lost a loved one to suicide.”


Mullen’s Miracles is designed to fill the gap that Kathy and Eric experienced during Eric’s battle with mental illness.


“Our goal is to establish Mullen’s Miracles as a resource that can be accessed and utilized anywhere to help at-risk individuals develop healthy coping skills and find much-needed support in times of crisis.”


Kathy works to ensure that fewer people have to live a life shattered by suicide. Her own experiences with loss, grief, and the aftermath of both has created a unique and much-needed perspective. In 2018 alone, 48,344 people died from suicide, leaving countless others affected, faced with picking up the pieces after a tragic loss.


Taboo subjects like suicide, organ donation, depression, and more have become Kathy’s expertise. “So many people have to deal with these topics in their lives, but there are not open conversations or places to go to talk about them or get help,” Kathy says.


“I’m not only dark and depressing, though,” Kathy jokes. Her goal is to bring light and hope into people’s lives, to hold their hand as they walk through some of the darkness.


As a mother of a child who fought mental health issues, Mullen is committed to changing the stigma associated with mental illness and helping all those affected by this tragedy. Her story and experiences levy her credentials to speak on topics such as…


» The aftermath of suicide- life moving forward

» Grief and loss

» Organ donation

» Life changes and finding acceptance

» Mental illness and overcoming stigma

» Making lemonade out of loss

View her recently published article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution here, and listen to her recent podcast with Trey McKnight.

In a year of much grief and loss, Kathy is available to share a message of hope with your team (whether virtually or otherwise)!

Original Post: 12.8.2020