An Adventure in Grief

2009. Published by The Collins Press, Cork.

An unflinching account of Catherine’s husband remarkable life, his post traumatic stress disorder, suicide and her recovery.

Perhaps because I was immersed in travel writing in the year after John died, I had the idea of writing a grief manual to help other people through it.

In 2000 Catherine’s husband shot himself on their property in the mountains outside Melbourne. John Johnson was an outgoing, cheerful, successful man but was also harbouring post traumatic stress from his service in Vietnam with the Australian army in 1968-69. He planned and executed his suicide to minimise trauma for Catherine. The book follows his story and the events leading up to his death, and traces Catherine’s multifaceted approach to recovery from the shock and grief. The title, which provoked some discussion, was deliberately chosen.

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Reviews

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Adventure in grief, Grief, Angela Long, Irish Times

Review by Angela Long, Irish Times, 31 March 2009

Adventure in grief, Grief, Angela Long, Irish Times

“This story is told bravely and simply. De Courcy took years to overcome her distress, the ‘myriad little boxing matches going on underneath my skin’”. Read the review by Angela Long for the Irish Times

Adventure in grief, Grief, Angela Long, Irish Times

Adventure in grief, Grief, Tony Bates

Review by Tony Bates, Inside Out, Autumn 2009 : ‘An adventure in grief’ by Catherine de Courcy.

Adventure in grief, Grief, Tony Bates

“Catherine de Courcy’s book tells the story of what happens in her life when she said “Yes” to an adventure that was triggered by the shattering experience of her husband John’s suicide.” Tony Bates is a clinical psychologist and founder director of Headstrong – The National Centre for Youth Mental Heal. Read his full review.

Adventure in grief, Grief, Tony Bates