Today we welcome Crystal Partney, who, the day before her 32nd birthday in 2019, received the devastating news that her sister had taken her own life.

After this tragedy, Crystal needed the steps to begin the healing process. She discovered that the first 30 days are often the most critical steps for healing after suicide.

Knowing how hard it can be to deal with the loss of a loved one, Crystal decided that she would help others mourning the loss of a loved one to suicide and give hope to those who may be in a place of darkness and need a helping hand.

Crystal’s heartfelt mission is to help bring hope to others experiencing moments of darkness. She wants you to know that you are not alone in your struggles, that there is light, that you are loved, and that you matter!

*** As a warning, this episode discusses suicide, so if you are feeling vulnerable, please consult with a doctor or mental health professional. Or call one of the Suicide Prevention numbers listed below in the resources.

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

1. Crystal shares her journey of losing her sister to suicide and the aftermath of the devastating loss.
2. Find out about her healing journey and the prompting on her heart to help others which birthed her two companies.
3. She discusses how the concept of subscription boxes aims to give someone hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Episode Highlights

Who is Crystal Partney

• Crystal Partney is an author, speaker, and suicide grief coach.
• Founder of Scattering Hope and Owl & Thistle.
• She is also the host of the upcoming You Are Loved podcast.

The loss of her sister

• The day before Crystal’s 32nd birthday in 2019, she got the tragic news of her sister’s suicide.
• She was in college, a month away from graduating.
• Although she knew her sister was struggling, she thought things were getting better.
• The news left her devastated and heartbroken.

Her sister’s circumstances

• Crystal’s sister was newly divorced after being married for decades.
• Her children chose to live with their father and wanted nothing to do with her.
• She had an identity crisis as so many years of her life were dedicated to being a wife and mother.
• She felt the full force of the pressure and uncertainty at the end, which ultimately led to her choosing to take her own life.

There were warning signs

• Crystal says there were warning signs, but the family thought she had turned a corner.
• She was being her bubbly self, an energizer bunny.
• It came as a shock when they realized just how long she had a plan in place to take her life.

Reaching out and seeking help

• Her sister was vocal about her struggle.
• She was seeing a therapist and was on medication.
• They later found out that she stopped seeing the therapist and stopped taking her prescribed medication.

The devastation

• Crystal had to come to terms with her sister’s death and the fact that she chose to take her own life.
• She had to say that she did everything she could and needed to find peace.
• It would haunt her for the rest of her life if she didn’t, and she knew her sister would not have wanted that.

Graduating college despite her loss

• Crystal was in her senior year of college, a month away from graduating.
• In her grief, she wasn’t sure whether graduation was an option at that point.
• She, however, decided to push through no matter what her grades were, and she ended up graduating.

The prompting on her heart

• It was only after graduation that everything hit her.
• Crystal decided to take a year for herself to process her grief and heal.
• At this time, she had a prompting on her heart to help other families going through similar situations, and this is when Scattering Hope was born.
• She felt another calling to help those struggling with mental health and suicidal ideation, and this is when Owl & Thistle was born.

The companies she started

• The companies are very much like sisters, they compliment each other, and it is a way to honor her sister.
• Scattering Hope helps families heal after losing a loved one to suicide.
• Owl & Thistle focuses on suicide prevention, letting people know that they are loved and saving lives.

The subscription boxes

• Both companies offer subscription boxes, where each month has a theme.
• It’s a loving way to show people in our lives that they are loved and that they can heal.
• It offers a glimmer of hope in times of darkness, showing the recipient that they are loved.
• Crystal is working on membership platforms for both companies, where there are courses, training, and guest speakers.

The inclusion of journals

• Each subscription box includes two journals.
• The colorful journal is for writing down everything you’re grateful for each day.
• The black journal is for releasing negative and spiraling thoughts; it’s a physical way to remove one’s feelings instead of keeping them inside.

How journaling has helped Crystal

• Crystal has been journaling since a young age.
• She was eight years old when she received her first journal as a gift from her mother.
• She says it’s like a therapy session where she can release everything.
• Writing deep and intimate thoughts are healing and prevent one from bottling everything inside. 

Have the difficult conversations

• Having a conversation with someone struggling is not easy, but it’s better than the alternative.
• Crystal could see the relief in her sister when she would open up the dialogue, letting her know she didn’t need to go through her struggle alone.
• Reaching out to someone struggling helps them feel like a weight has been lifted.

Feeling their presence after death

• Crystal experienced a year of hell, where she lost multiple people in her life.
• It was around Christmas time when she felt really angry, because they weren’t there.
• Immediately, a whisper said, “Crystal, we are here, just not in the form you want us to be.”
• This moment brought her so much peace, knowing that they’re all still present, just not in the physical form.

Her podcast

• Crystal’s upcoming podcast is, You Are Loved.
• It will talk about the grieving process and healing after suicide.
• There will be guest speakers who will share their personal stories.
• It’s opening the conversation of struggle, loss, and healing, with the ultimate goal of offering people a glimmer of hope in times of darkness.

What Crystal is grateful for

• Crystal says it’s been unusually warm in Utah, so she is grateful for the snow and water.

3 Powerful Quotes from this Episode

11:15 – “Whenever she experiences a tragedy in her life, she’s gonna remember this moment and say, well, how did mom handle this? And so I just took the time, and throughout that year, I was just processing and healing and grieving the loss of my sister”.

20:21 – “Let’s have the conversation now. And be open to it even though we’re scared, even though we don’t know what or how the other person will respond to the fact that we’re even able to have that conversation.”

27:19 – “Immediately, this whisper said, ‘Crystal, we’re here. We’re just not in the form you want us to be.’ And I was like, you’re right, which brought me so much peace. Because just like we’ve been talking about, they’re still present. They’re still here.”

Connect with Crystal Partney

Scattering Hope

Owl & Thistle 

Resources

Distress Center – 24-hour crisis line 403-266 – HELP (4357)  

Crisis Services Canada – text or call – 833-456-4566 or text 45645 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (in the US) : 1-800-273-8255 

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Thanks for listening,

Tiff