The Intersection between Grief and Work: How Grief Rewrote My Resume

I'm breaking my year-long silence to share something raw and real – something we rarely discuss in personal or professional settings yet inevitably affects our working lives: grief.

On December 23rd, 2022, my world shifted when my dad suddenly passed away from a stroke. This became the most significant addition to my CV (curriculum vitae – Latin for "course of life," though ironically, we typically only document our 9 to 5 experiences).

My dad was my best friend and biggest cheerleader – the person who made me believe I could do anything. Initially, I coped the only way I knew how: by working more. I returned to work immediately after the holidays, even taking on additional consulting work on the side. What many don't realize is that death comes with an overwhelming administrative burden. Beyond my regular work, I was managing family matters, dealing with lawyers, insurance, hospital bills, and emotionally supporting my mom.

Four months later, I faced another form of loss – my first layoff. Though the company handled it professionally, losing a job I loved created another void. The grief felt surprisingly similar to losing a loved one.

Like many of us would, I rushed into the next opportunity – a role at a company I greatly admired. But I skipped a crucial step: healing. Despite the exciting new position, I noticed my energy depleting. For the first time in my 15-year career, I experienced intense self-doubt and imposter syndrome. Most critically, I was suppressing my emotions and intuition – as a Pisces (oops, did I just mention my sign on LinkedIn?), this meant denying my authentic self.

In October 2023, I made a decision that terrified and liberated me at the same time. I quit my job to take a sabbatical. This journey led me through:

• Health check-ups
• Time at home with family in Panama and Colombia
• Two months in Bali: meditating, dancing, crying, and healing
• Becoming certified as a death doula
• Wrote a book, The Celiac Atlas
• Built a grief community for women
• and even coached some friends on how to jump to their next career move...

All the things you don’t necessarily add on a resume or LinkedIn 😅.

Then just as my accounts were hitting negative in March, I got 2 consulting opportunities in HR and headhunting that sustained me for these last six months.

As October 2024 approached, the familiar feeling of anxiety crept in. "How do I explain a year-long gap in my CV? How will I justify this sabbatical in interviews?" The mere thought of updating my resume or browsing LinkedIn jobs triggered me.

It took a month of internal struggle and several heart-to-heart conversations with friends (shoutouts to Larissa Mansur , Jackie Hyland , Kate Edgar Owen , Viviana De Ferrari , Daniela Toro and Omara Fuks 🇨🇷 ) to realize I was falling back into old patterns. I was imposing artificial pressure to have everything figured out, while completely discounting my well-being and overlooking my achievements in independent consulting.

This realization led me to reflect deeply on what this journey has taught me about the intersection of grief and work. Here some takeaways:

1. Workplaces need more “Leaves” 🌱

While we've made progress with parental leave, we must address bereavement and elder care. Our aging demographics mean we'll increasingly need to care for elders (and pets) as much as children.

2. There's No "Grief for Dummies" Manual 📚

It took me to take an 8 month Death Doula training to learn that there’s no timeline or secret formula for healing grief and it significantly impacts work performance. Companies need to move beyond sympathy cards to providing actual resources and flexibility for grieving employees.

3. There is a Silent Cost of Screen-Only Connection 👩🏻💻

While I advocate for remote work, we must acknowledge how isolation can amplify grief. We need community-building initiatives as robust as our DEI efforts.

4. Your CV's Missing Chapter 📖

Having a career break or taking time off to focus on your well-being shouldn't be a luxury or a professional setback. It should also not produce any shame or guilt. Companies should recognize that life's challenges are part of every career journey.

As I embrace a more fluid and holistic approach to my career, I'm excited to announce that I'm available for consulting or full-time opportunities in:

• Open to People or Community roles in purpose-driven organizations
• Headhunting services for high-growth startups
• Consulting on Community Building or HR
• Building and scaling meaningful communities
• Advising early-stage startups and impact organizations

Sectors: Series A+ Startups in Productivity Tools, SaaS, HRTech, Travel, Fintech or EdTech, Impact, Management Consulting or VC Funds

To those who made it this far – thank you. I'm stepping into this next professional chapter as a renewed version of myself, ready to bring both professional expertise and more emotional intelligence to my work.

Feel free to DM me for connections or opportunities or share some love in the comments, I’m reading you ❤️