Cath A LloydI 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. Throuh 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 an 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 a male prison, I learned 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 at other times there needs to be a period of adjustment. We have to learn how to adjust and start living a 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. During my process of rehabilitation, I learned to understand my thoughts, and feelings and how to manage them successfully and finally come out the other end smiling.I am sure you agree that life never runs smoothly. What we learn from our traumas and mistakes helps us to deal with the next challenge that is thrust into our life. In 2017 my son broke his neck and is now tetraplegic meaning that he only has movement from his shoulders upwards. What I learned from my long bereavement cycle of change and loss for my Dad really helped me manage my thoughts and feelings around the drastic lifestyle change for my son and us as a family had to adjust to.The strategies I ultimately use within my 4 Step Methodology to Emotional Freedom, I teach today to help families and those living with the bereavement cycle of change and loss so they can come out the other side smiling and with warmth in their hearts. Read More Read Less