The Widowed Mom Podcast

Does grief feel like you're missing a limb? Like phantom pain that won't go away? When someone dies, we experience what's called a "social amputation." We literally lose a piece of ourselves, and our brain keeps searching for that missing connection. The good news? There's a powerful healing tool you already use every day - music.

This week, I'm joined by board-certified music therapist Tim Ringgold for a conversation that opened my...

If you’re ready to move from surviving to thriving in 2026, join us inside Mom Goes On using the New Year's Pass. This pass gives you access to the program from January 7-21, 2026, where you can decide if this is the right space for you.

You'll get access to everything inside the program from the live coaching calls to the powerful teaching videos, and even access to our private online community and a bonus live Tapping call.

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Are the holidays feeling heavy this year?

Maybe you're dreading the traditions that used to bring joy. Maybe you're wondering how to navigate celebrations that feel incomplete without your person. Here's what I want you to know: You're allowed to do things differently.

Listen in this week as I share five ideas for creating new traditions after loss, not because we need to replace what we had, but because sometimes we need space for...

Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, angry, or deeply tired as you navigate solo parenting after loss?

Maybe you judge yourself for those feelings. Maybe you worry that you're barely holding it together. Here's what I need you to hear: You are not doing it wrong. You are not failing. You are simply a human doing something that is incredibly hard.

Listen in this week to hear five key insights about parenting while grieving that w...

When it comes to talking to children about death, most of us freeze. We worry we'll say the wrong thing. We want to protect them from pain. We fear making it worse.

The truth is, talking to children about death doesn't have to feel overwhelming. In this episode, I'm sharing a simple framework that you can return to again and again. Whether you're a new widow navigating this territory or someone supporting a friend who needs guidance...

Have you noticed how evenings and weekends hit differently as a widow?

You're moving through your day, managing work, errands, maybe even feeling okay… then you get home, the house quiets down, and suddenly the loneliness gets louder. If you've been wondering whether that’s normal, the answer is yes.

In fact, there are many difficult parts of widowhood that we don't talk about enough. So join me this week as I share what makes wido...

Have you ever noticed how grief changes the conversations you want to have? Maybe it's with a family member who's disappointed you since your loss. Maybe it's with a friend whose surface-level check-ins no longer feel like enough. Or maybe it's with yourself - about what you really want now that everything has changed.

This week, I sit down with my dear friend and coach Sara Fisk to talk about something that affects all of us: dif...

Are you bracing yourself for the holidays?

The holidays after loss can feel like navigating an emotional minefield. One minute you might laugh at a memory, the next you're crying over a Christmas card. And that exhausting voice in your head keeps saying you should be doing more, feeling different, or holding it all together better. Here's what I want you to know: You don't have to love the holidays. You don't have to make them magi...

The holidays bring a unique kind of heaviness when you're navigating them without your person. Your brain searches for them in every familiar tradition, every decoration, every family gathering - and when it can't find them, it sends out waves of emotion that can feel overwhelming.

I'm addressing why the holidays can stir up such intense emotions for widowed moms and why there's no right way to feel during this season. Whether you'...

Do you ever feel like you're just going through the motions? Like you're functioning, but not really living?

If you're nodding your head, you're not alone. In fact, this feeling is so common among widows that I've given it a name: the grief plateau. It’s that space where you're stable enough to function, but your future feels uncertain and life doesn't quite feel like you'd like it to. You might be back at work, taking care of your...

Have you ever found yourself frozen, wanting to support someone who's grieving but afraid of saying the wrong thing?

Most of us weren't taught how to show up for someone who's experienced a devastating loss. We want to help, but sometimes our well-intentioned words can accidentally cause more harm than good. 

Join me this week as I share practical guidance for anyone who wants to be a genuine source of support for a widow in the...

Have you been beating yourself up because you can't stop thinking about something?

Maybe it’s the last conversation you had with your person, something someone said that felt hurtful, or a decision you're questioning. You tell yourself to move on, but the thought returns like a boomerang, taking up mental space you desperately need for other things. The frustration builds as you wonder why you can't just let it go, especially when ...

Have you ever had someone say, “You're so strong” or, “They're in a better place now” and felt... worse? These well-meaning comments, though intended to comfort, often leave us feeling misunderstood and alone in our grief journey.

Sometimes the people who love us most can hurt us without meaning to. This disconnect between what someone intends and how their actions affect us shows up everywhere in widowhood. And understanding this ...

If you’re surprised by how some friendships have changed after losing your spouse, you’re not alone.

When we lose our person, we often don't expect to also lose connections with friends who we thought would always be there. And many widows experience this unexpected secondary loss - the shifting or disappearing of friendships they thought would remain steady through their grief journey.

Understanding the dynamics of friendship chan...

Are you constantly putting everyone else's needs before your own, even in your grief? When we're grieving, it's tempting to try to "keep it together" for everyone else. But managing your grief for others' comfort comes at a deep cost to our own healing.

This week, I’m joined by Bea Albina, a nurse practitioner turned master life coach, somatic expert, and author of a new book called End Emotional Outsourcing: How to Overcome Your C...

Have you ever told yourself, “I'll do it when I feel motivated?”

Maybe it's about going through your person's belongings. Maybe it's about getting back to exercise. Maybe it's about making those difficult financial decisions. Here's the truth: If you're waiting to feel motivated before taking action, you might be waiting a very long time.

Tune in this week to learn the importance of understanding the difference between motivation a...

Have you ever found yourself lying awake at night, with your thoughts spinning out of control? One worried thought leads to another, and before you know it, you're imagining worst-case scenarios that feel all too real.

I call this the ‘what-if' doom spiral, and if you're experiencing it, you're not alone. 

Listen in this week to learn how to recognize the what-if doom spiral, and how to calm your nervous system, ground yoursel...

Standing in a crowded room after losing your spouse can feel like being invisible in plain sight. The laughter around you seems distant, the couples holding hands become all you notice, and somehow being surrounded by people makes the loneliness even sharper.

Join me today to learn simple but powerful actions and mindset shifts that will help you move from feeling like an outsider to feeling genuinely connected, even in challenging ...

The human brain has a remarkable ability to adapt to both positive and negative life changes, eventually returning us to a baseline level of happiness. 

When your person dies, it can feel like your happiness baseline has been permanently lowered. Many widows worry they'll never experience the same level of joy or fulfillment they once knew. But here's what modern science tells us: your happiness is changeable through cons...