Caroline Catlin

Caroline Catlin is a Seattle-based writer, photographer, care worker, and artist whose work explores the intersection of life, death, and human connection. She uses storytelling to bridge isolation and community, grounded in the belief that art and narrative can reach otherwise inaccessible places. Catlin's background in behavioral health and developmental trauma informs her approach to caregiving and advocacy, as well as her efforts to reform the portrayal of health, illness, and disability in media. Her writing and photography have appeared in The New York Times, Longreads, Huffington Post, Glamour, the Boston Globe, AliveNow, and Healthline.

Catlin's path into grief photography was shaped by her own medical experiences. After college, she experienced persistent symptoms including daily fevers, joint and muscle pain, fatigue, memory loss, and cognitive issues. Despite consulting multiple doctors, her concerns were initially dismissed. Persistence led to an MRI and a diagnosis of Grade 3 Anaplastic Astrocytoma, a form of brain cancer in the same class as Glioblastomas. Catlin, a long-time mental health advocate, faced trauma and illness firsthand, undergoing multiple rounds of radiation and chemotherapy.

Rather than withdrawing, Catlin integrated her experiences into her creative and care work. She leads support groups for grieving children and teens and volunteers as a critical care and end-of-life photographer. Catlin has volunteered with Soulumination, an organization providing free photo shoots for families with critically ill children. As a Seattle photographer, she documents the last moments of dying adults and children, often providing families with their only professional photos of their loved ones.

Catlin's TED talk, "Why I Photograph the Quiet Moments of Grief and Loss," has reached a global audience. In this presentation, she discusses how her personal journey with loss led her to capture moments of grace and beauty amid hardship. Her research and work in behavioral health and developmental trauma continue to inspire her advocacy for more accurate media portrayals of health, illness, and disability, highlighting the art within caregiving and therapy.

Beyond photography, Catlin is a multidisciplinary contributor to conversations about grief, disability, and resilience. She holds an MFA in Writing from Pacific University and is working on a memoir. Catlin teaches community-focused writing workshops on topics related to grief, loss, disability, advocacy, and resilience. As a disabled queer woman living with an incurable diagnosis, Catlin brings authenticity and insight to her work, serving as a voice for audiences navigating challenging life experiences.