The Widow's Collective

Episode 12: New Year’s Resolutions — When You’re Just Trying to Survive When “fresh starts” miss the mark in grief January often arrives with pressure — to improve, reset, optimize, and become a “better” version of yourself. But when you’re grieving, that language can feel disconnected, overwhelming, or even cruel. In this episode, I share why traditional New Year’s resolutions often don’t fit whe...

Episode 11: Anticipating the New Year — A Year Without You In It The days between Christmas and New Year’s can feel strangely heavy—quiet, suspended, and emotionally charged. In this episode, Lauren speaks to the often unspoken fear that surfaces as the calendar prepares to turn: How do I step into a year that doesn’t include someone essential? Drawing from her own experience on New Year’s Eve 201...

Episode 10 Show Notes: A Different Kind of Christmas — Grief, Gifts, and Your Limits In this episode, I share my first Christmas without Kevin — the “firsts,” the heartbreak, and the unexpected lessons about grief, love, and what we can actually hold during the holidays. We explore: How grief shifts meaning, making traditions and gifts feel heavy, distant, or empty. Why gifts can feel insignifican...

The holidays after loss can feel deeply confusing. You may want the cards, the invites, and the connection— and simultaneously feel unable to open an envelope or show up to a gathering. This internal push-and-pull is not a failure or a contradiction. It’s grief. In this episode, Lauren explores the griever’s holiday paradox —the tension between wanting to be seen and wanting to disappear—and how t...

In this episode, we’re naming the emotions many widows feel during the holidays but rarely say out loud. Jealousy. Guilt. Anger. Longing. Mixed emotions that feel contradictory and confusing. And the shame that often follows. I also answer listener questions submitted this week—questions so many of you are wrestling with as the season approaches. If the holidays bring up complicated emotions for y...

EPISODE 7 — 5 Ways to Support Yourself Through the Holidays  Short, gentle guidance for a season that can feel overwhelming. Episode Summary The holidays can bring a complicated mix of emotions. In this episode, we explore five compassionate, doable ways to care for yourself through a season that often feels heavy and demanding. This episode is intentionally simple and grounding. No pressure. No p...

Today’s episode arrives on Thanksgiving — a day that can hold deep tenderness for anyone grieving the loss of a loved one. While others gather around the table in gratitude and celebration, you may be feeling the weight of who isn’t there. The empty seat — both literal and symbolic — can stir a mix of emotions: love, longing, sadness, and deep remembrance. In this episode, we pause together to bre...

Episode 5: The Grief Hangover Description: Have you ever made it through a milestone — a birthday, an anniversary, a holiday — feeling surprisingly okay, only to wake up the next day heavy, anxious, and undone? That’s what I call a “Grief Hangover.” In this episode, I’m joined by my dear friend and fellow widow, Julia Warren — a grief coach and yoga therapist — to explore what happens after those...

Episode 4: ’Tis the Season to Be Thankful (When You’re Not Feeling Very Thankful At All) Holidays. For many, they’re filled with warmth, lights, and tradition — but for those of us navigating grief, they can feel heavy, complicated, and even isolating. In this episode, I explore why it’s okay if gratitude doesn’t show up this season — and how simply allowing yourself to feel, notice, and exist is...

Episode 3: Are My Best Days Behind Me? In this week’s episode, Lauren explores a tender and deeply human question many widows quietly wrestle with after loss:   “Are my best days behind me?” This episode dives into the complex layers of survivor’s guilt — the quiet ache that asks, “Why them and not me?” or “What right do I have to feel joy again?” — and offers gentle guidance for moving through th...

 Episode 2: My Story, My Why Description: In this deeply personal episode, I share the story that brought me here — the loss that changed everything, and the love and community that helped me survive it. You’ll hear about the life I had before my husband Kevin’s death, the moment everything shifted, and the women who became my lifelines in the early days of grief. Through it all, you’ll learn why...

Episode 1: Welcome to The Widow’s Collective Where grief meets hope, healing, and community Welcome to the very first episode of The Widow’s Collective . I’m Lauren Lentz — grief coach, fellow widow, and the heart behind this space. If your life has been turned upside down by the death of your person, you are not alone. This podcast is a safe space for widows living in the “after,” where we name t...