Daughters Without Moms

This episode includes my interview with Jonathan on the Grace Bond Ministries podcast . He was the 4th Jenkins sibling that I interviewed on the podcast last week. Then he asked me to share on his podcast. The interview includes some of my views of where God was in my grief journey, and things we can do to prepare for the grief journey. Jonathan also publishes the interview on YouTube, which is a...

Jonathan is my 4th Jenkins sibling to share their story on the podcast, and my 2nd son without a mom! Jonathan was 15 when his mom passed after a second stroke. He kept a lot of his grief to himself during the time between his mom's strokes, and was not one to talk much. Now, he's spending most of his day talking to people about their life journey - as a youth pastor and at a funeral home. Jonatha...

Rebecca is the 3rd Jenkins sibling to share their story on the DWOM podcast! Rebecca is the youngest in her family, and was 10 when her mom died after a 2nd stroke. Rebecca has a very strong connection to the love, kindness and support that she received from her mom. She distinctly remembers a time, after the 1st stroke, when her mom said to her "I'll always be watching you from the sidelines."&nb...

Angela Crump Volcy is a transformational speaker who inspires and coaches busy career women. She lost her mom in 2010, shortly after her brother died at the age of 42. Angela learned that the busy, no rest lifestyle of her mom and brother were not the path she wanted to follow. The loss of 2 close friends and a broken ankle sealed the deal in helping Angela reevaluate and change her priorities. An...

In this episode, I have a discussion with Katie and Rebecca about "Caregiver Identity Loss." Rebecca shared the story of her mom in Episode 17 , and my friend Katie was listening to Rebecca's episode soon after her 4 year old daughter, Cassidy, finished a 15-month treatment for a rare form of Neuroblastoma. Katie was so thankful to hear that the identity loss that can occur after completion of a l...

This is my first interview with a son without a mom! Raymond's sister, Danielle, shared in Episode 12. Raymond reached out and said that he would like to share his story. I said absolutely!! Raymond has done a lot of hard work and soul searching over the past 8 years. He highly recommends the book The Grief Recovery Handbook , which played a big part in his grieving process. I also ask Raymond abo...

Jaime lost her mom almost 13 years ago, and instead of sharing the story of how she lost her mom, she shares 11 tips for living without a mom. In addition to her daytime job, Jaime is a yoga teacher and you can find her at www.purebalanceandjoy.com . Jaime also shares about the club "Intentional Connectors" on Clubhouse. All of our stories are important! If you have a story to share, please s...

Maria's mom died of lung cancer in 2013. She made the decision to go on hospice and passed less than 48 hours after making that decision. Maria is so proud of her mom for choosing her path with strength and courage. Maria credits her mom's strong faith in helping her make the decision. Maria's mom has shown up with many times in Maria's life, during times of difficult decisions and uncertainty.&nb...

Welcome to the first episode that is not a Daughter Without A Mom! But, it's such an important story.  Chief Jim Leary was our local Police Chief for 10 years, until his recent retirement. In 2019, his wife Martha passed from ALS. Chief had 46 years of police service, and also served in the US Army. However, none of this training or experience prepared him for the grief after losing his wife....

These are recordings from Instagram live videos, where I share my thoughts on using grace and grit to grow with grief. They are the foundational elements of the Permission Program , and what I use to grow in my own grief journey. To see more information, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com . You can reach me via email at daughterswithoutmoms@gmail.com

Today I'm sharing my thoughts on loss, shame and a pandemic. I wrote a blog about this in January, and shared my thoughts on the podcast Journey Within. It's a topic I'm passionate about and have done a lot of research on how the pandemic has amplified our feelings of loss and shame. I also discuss toxic positivity and social comparison, and provide a few ideas of what we can do in the midst of al...

Jolena lost her mom when she was 13. Her mom, Joan, was a single mom, and Jolena and her brother had an extremely close relationship with her. However, due to a never-ending stream of traumatic events, Jolena never really mourned her death. But now her mom is starting to show up in her life in new ways. Jolena's Takeaway: Grief is a wicked little beast that can come in so many forms. But I really...

Christine Tangishaka's mom, Sylvia, was larger than life. She was the kindest, most welcoming woman, with deep faith. Sylvia died of pancreatic cancer in 2004. Christine had already lost her dad, too.  As Christine processed her own grief, she realized that there wasn't lots of support for motherless daughters. In 2017 she recalls thinking there ought to be a thing! And her husband encouraged...

Today you’ll hear a portion of my story of being a daughter without a mom. I’ll share about losing my mom at 13, and how that affected the relationship I had with her mom and dad, my grandparents. My takeaways: 1. Don't believe the stories in your head 2. Share your story with others 3. Learn to love yourself Don’t forget to sign up for our virtual DWOM Mother’s Day Circle! The event will take pla...

Rebecca didn't have the best relationship with her mom. She was the youngest of 8 girls and left home at 17 1/2 to join the Air Force. Later in life, her mom was diagnosed with Leukemia, and Rebecca was her primary caregiver and advocate during her 2 year journey with the disease. Rebecca shares raw and personal stories about how she missed feeling loved by her mom, and how that has affected her e...

Lori's mom was only 42 when she died. This does not stop her mother from having a profound effect on Lori's life, as well as her brother's and all of the communities in which her mom lived. Lori learned life long lessons from her mother's example and is continuing to share the legacy of her mother with others.  By the grace of the divine, and the influence of her mother and father, Lori Brown...

Patricia, like me, lost her mom to pancreatic cancer. Patricia spent a lot of time with her mom during her cancer journey, and was the first person the oncologist told when there were no more treatment options left. A few months after losing her mom, the country went into lockdown, and Patricia found a lot of support in the online grief community. Patricia's takeaway: Listen to yourself if you nee...

Wendy, like me, is the last living person in her family. She lost her brother and sister, her mom and dad. Her mom passed within days of Wendy's 3rd son being born, and Wendy was unable to go to the funeral. She still feels difficult emotions about the relationship with her mom and is "shoulding" all over herself about the things she should have done. Wendy's takeaway: Learn how to practice self-f...

Nadine just lost her mom in September of 2020. She was diagnosed with stage 4 lung, bone and breast cancer just 3 weeks after Nadine's 2019 wedding. Nadine was put in charge as the "strong one" during her mom's 50-week cancer journey. Nadine has since found that humor helps her express her grief, and she has started making memes about her mom's death on Instagram at @varsitygriefsquad .  Nadi...

Danielle lost the mom that she knew when her mom had a stroke, and then 9 months later when she had a second stroke that took her life. She shares how her mom was a mom to so many, and how she had endless love and energy for everyone. Danielle is adjusting to what life looks without her, especially as she prepares for her upcoming summer wedding. Danielle's takeaway: "It doesn't get easier, you ge...

Maria is the 2nd 25 year old daughter without a mom that I've interviewed, and again, I'm so impressed with the maturity and emotional awareness she has! Maria lost her mom when she was 9 years old, to Lupus and Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Maria is an only child, and became very attached to her dad and grandmother after the death of her mom. Maria shared about the Safe Harbor program, a program offer...

Sarah lost her mom when she was 9, and then lost her step-mom when she was 22. She recently became a mom herself, and realized how becoming a mom shifted a lot of her thoughts and feelings. She is sharing what she's learned and other tips, tricks and advice in an online community where all new moms are welcome: Entering Motherhood.  Website: www.enteringmotherhood.com Instagram: @entering_mot...

Kelsey lost her mom after a 15-year battle with 2 different types of cancer. She loves to learn in "bite-size" portions, and started an Instagram account to share the journey with others. You can find her at @_kelseylifeafterloss on Instagram.  Kelsey's takeaway: Loss is a universally shared experience and it should be something that is more comfortable to talk about. Lean into being uncomfor...

Platitudes are phrases that are widely used and regarded as a safe thing to say to someone who is hurting. In reality, these phrases normally have the opposite effect.  Listen to hear what fellow grievers have to say about platitudes, and how they made them feel. Then, continue listening to hear words that were received as loving, caring and supportive. This is not to make people for bad for...

Becca's story is about losing her mom to Alzheimer's. Although her mom is still alive, she hasn't been able to communicate for several years. Her takeaway is that having a loved one with Alzheimer's is like getting on the wrong train and going somewhere you didn't want to go. But you just need to go for the journey and see where it takes you.  Becca graciously offered herself as a resource to...