Camille Ellis: Don’t Forget What You Had

What if one simple change in perspective could transform the way you carry grief?

After losing her 18-year-old son, Wes, to suicide, Camille Ellis believed she would never experience happiness the same way again. Like so many people navigating profound loss, the weight of grief seemed impossible to escape.

Then she realized something that would forever change the way she viewed her son's life—and her own.

"A lot of people get so stuck on what they lost, they forget what they had."

In this deeply personal conversation, Camille shares how one simple shift—from saying "I lost my son" to "I had my son"—helped her carry grief differently without diminishing her love for Wes or the sadness of losing him.

Before talking about how Wes died, Camille wants people to know how he lived.

She remembers an intelligent, athletic, funny, mischievous young man who struggled from an early age. She shares the challenges of trying to find answers, the guilt many parents carry after losing a child, and why she refuses to let the circumstances of Wes's death become the defining story of his life.

But this conversation reaches far beyond the loss of a child.

Whether you're grieving the death of someone you love, the end of a relationship, a change in your health, a career you thought would last forever, or simply the future you imagined, Camille offers a perspective that may help you carry those losses with a little more grace—and a little more hope.

Rather than believing every painful thought our minds create, Camille encourages us to become curious about the stories we tell ourselves. Sometimes another story is just as true—one that leaves room for gratitude, healing and hope alongside the grief.

It's not about forgetting.

It's not about "moving on."

It's about remembering that love and loss can exist together.

And perhaps the most powerful reminder of all:

Don't become so focused on what you lost that you forget what you had.

In This Episode, You'll Hear About:
Why Camille changed "I lost my son" to "I had my son"
Remembering Wes for how he lived—not only how he died
The stories our minds tell us after loss
Giving yourself permission to heal without forgetting
Why grief and gratitude can exist at the same time
Supporting someone who is grieving through conversation and connection
Finding hope after profound loss
About Camille Ellis

Camille Ellis is a coach who helps people examine the thoughts, emotional patterns and stories that may be be keeping them stuck after loss or significant life change. Drawing from her own experience following the death of her son, Wes, she helps others give themselves permission to heal, rebuild their identity and create a life that can hold both grief and joy.

Learn more at YourCoachCamille.com.