The Widowed Mom Podcast

Eleanor Haley and Litsa Williams are the founders of "What’s Your Grief" and professionals working in the field of grief and bereavement, supporting people through the sudden and unexpected death of a loved one. After their own losses, their guiding principle has been to identify what is lacking in grief support and to fill those gaps. They are here this week to share nuggets of wisdom to assist y...

One piece of advice that is often offered to widows is, “Don’t make big decisions in the first year.” While I recognize that making decisions in grief is a nuanced issue, I’m not a fan of the notion that we can’t trust ourselves to do big things in grief. I address how to make decisions in the first year, or when big decisions have deadlines. Get full show notes and more information here: https://...

As widows, we don’t want other widows to struggle in the way we have. I asked my community for any advice they have for other widows, and I received hundreds of responses. If you’re feeling alone in widowhood, join me this week to hear how applicable these pieces of advice are to just about any experience of grief. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/2...

Widowhood is undoubtedly a tragedy that can make us feel like our lives are over. My Mom Goes On client Erica Lee felt totally unprepared for her husband’s passing. Her life shifted, and she’s here this week to tell us all about her journey of navigating widowhood without a template. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/219 Mentioned in this episode: Yo...

You know that phrase, "Time heals all wounds," right? While it's a phrase that has become commonplace, it's not that simple, and it has some unintended negative consequences. Tune in to find out what they are, and the real role of time in grief. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/218 Mentioned in this episode: You're Invited to Grief Essentials LIVE J...

If we polled all the widows in the world, most of us would agree that we’ve experienced regressing in grief. While it’s easy to believe you’re stuck or no longer doing as great as you once were, this thought is not helpful. Hear why we get to this place in grief, how the notion of regressing in grief is a lie, and a better way to approach yourself when you feel this way. Get full show notes and mo...

It is 100% unequivocally devastating to lose a loved one. That’s your primary loss in grief. However, you might have also noticed knock-on effects of things you would not have otherwise lost in addition to your loved one. These are called secondary losses. Join me this week to understand why we need to normalize secondary losses in grief and learn three things you can do to support yourself when y...

When so many things are changing in your life, trying to gain clarity about what you want can be extremely challenging. Cindy Arcuri is a career and executive life coach who went through Mom Goes On. She went from being stuck to finding a sense of clarity about what she wants for the next chapter of her life, and she's here this week to shed light on what your future can hold. Get full show notes...

Are you good? Or are you stopping at good enough, rather than dreaming big and chasing the next chapter of life that you really want? I invite you to consider what it would feel like to allow yourself to experience greatness, and explore my process for transitioning from good to great. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/214 Mentioned in this episode:...

My guest this week is Corinne Crabtree, a brilliant example of not only someone who is an expert at teaching weight loss but also a woman who has developed mastery in figuring out how to create everything she wants one step at a time. Hear Corinne's journey of creating an eight-figure coaching business and how you, too, can begin making your dreams a reality. Get full show notes and more informati...

Getting everything that’s swirling around in your mind out on paper can be incredibly helpful. However, it can also be extremely problematic, specifically for widowed moms who are past acute grief. If journaling is cementing stories in your brain that don’t feel good to you, it’s time for a different approach, and I’m teaching you the alternatives on this episode. Get full show notes and more info...

Many widowed moms believe there’s an inherent right or wrong way to navigate challenging days like Father’s Day. Hear my top three do’s and don’ts for navigating Father’s Day, and why it’s a beautiful opportunity for you to let what feels right grow and change year by year. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/211 Mentioned in this episode: You're Invit...

Vulnerability is a term that’s thrown around a lot these days, but actually being willing to be vulnerable, authentic, and to ask for what you need especially in the midst of grief, is something to be commended. Hear the realization Dani Nyman had that she needed support in widowhood, how she’s given herself permission to ask for help and be vulnerable, and what’s changed in how she takes care of...

Have you ever imagined alternative scenarios that could have prevented your person from dying? Going down the path in your mind of the would’ve, could’ve, should’ve things that have happened in the past is not logical, and yet, it’s extremely common in grief. Hear what counterfactual thinking in grief looks like, why it’s a normal experience, and what you can do when you notice it happening for yo...

Kara Loewentheil is a Master Certified coach and a powerhouse feminist confidence coach, and we recently had a conversation on grief, patriarchy, and post-traumatic growth over on her podcast. Hear my insights on the various theories of grief and what I find most helpful, our socialization and the role of the patriarchy in shaping our experience of grief, as well as how post-traumatic growth plays...

A few years ago, I would never have been able to give myself the opportunity to receive good things. Maybe like me, you have lots of “shoulds” and rules about investing in your own pleasure. Hear why it’s essential for us to learn to receive while grieving, the reasons you might find this challenging, and strategies you can try to increase your ability to receive in grief. Get full show notes and...

I have a unique vantage point as a coach. I get to see the entire transformation of my clients, and former Mom Goes On member Cindy’s was stark. I watched Cindy go from the depths of despair to finding hope for her future. She’s sharing what her grief journey looks like, and how she challenged the tools inside Mom Goes On to get what she needed from the program. Get full show notes and more inform...

We have so many Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) in grief, and we can spiral downward in them very quickly. Whether it’s that you won’t ever be happy again, no one understands you, or you’re just not doing it right, we often don’t even see them as thoughts. We just believe them. Hear why your grief ANTs matter, and how to begin acknowledging them for what they are. Get full show notes and more i...

How often do you find yourself inclined to please other people? Valuing other people’s validation more than you trust your own inner wisdom is a miserable place to be. To offer her wisdom on this topic and a process to stop people pleasing, I’m speaking to Master Certified coach and expert on people pleasing, Sara Bybee Fisk. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.coachingwithk...

So often, widows attribute anything good that they once felt to their person. Whether it’s your happiness, satisfaction, fulfillment, joy, or confidence, I get it because I did it too. I offer in the most loving way possible, that it wasn’t them. It was always you. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/203 Mentioned in this episode: You're Invited to Gri...

As widowed moms at different stages of grief and widowhood, we never have enough stories that show us we aren’t alone in our experience. I’m so grateful for people like my Mom Goes On client, Jess Peurakoski, who is willing to invest in herself and do hard, uncomfortable, and scary things. Hear Jess’s widowhood journey, her experience of being in our community, and what her life looks like now as...

Are there any secrets you’ve found out or uncovered after your person passed? You have unanswered questions, and perhaps you feel betrayed or lied to. I assure you that you are not alone in this experience, and you have the choices available to you to feel empowered regardless of what you’ve found out. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/201 Mentioned...

In the four years that I’ve created episodes every single week and coached the women I have in this time, I’ve learned a whole lot. Hear the top 10 things I’ve learned in 200 episodes, and why these are great reminders to keep in mind no matter what you’re pursuing right now. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/200 Mentioned in this episode: You're Inv...

Have you ever felt like you want to make progress or solve something in your life but it feels impossible? The great news is, feeling stuck isn’t as difficult of a fix as it seems right now. Discover why you feel stuck and what you can do to get yourself unstuck. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/199 Mentioned in this episode: You're Invited to Grief...

It’s easy to hear how difficult and challenging it is to be a widow. It’s far less common that we get to hear stories of widows who have been through it and have come out the other side thriving. My Mom Goes On client Cheri Metzler is one of those people, and she’s here to share her journey through widowhood and everything that’s on the horizon for her. Get full show notes and more information her...