The Widowed Mom Podcast
Episodes
356. What Does a Grief Life Coach Actually Do?
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What does a grief life coach actually do, and could it change how you experience grief? If you’ve ever wondered whether coaching is just listening, ...
355. If You’re Avoiding Everyone Right Now, This Is for You
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Have you noticed yourself avoiding everyone lately, wondering if something might be wrong? After the loss of your person, even simple social interact...
354. Dating a Widow: What You Really Need to Know with Brad Judy
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dating a widow can be a complex yet rewarding journey, and it's often not what you expect. This week, I sit down with Brad Judy, the husband of Jamie...
353. First Year as a Widow: What You Weren't Told
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I used to think grief was something you “get through,” but what I’ve learned, and what I share in this episode, is that the first year isn’t a...
352. My Top 8 Books for Widows
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are you searching for the right books for widows, hoping one of them will finally show you how to “do grief” the right way? I remember desperately...
351. Is It Selfish to Want to Move On?
16 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered if it’s selfish to want more for your life after your person dies? If the desire to date again, set boundaries, rest, or feel...
350. Why Grief Feels Like Brain Fog
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Have you been wondering why you can’t think clearly, remember simple things, or focus the way you used to since your person died? If grief has left ...
349. How to Survive Your Wedding Anniversary as a Widow
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Does the thought of your wedding anniversary send a wave of dread through your body? You’re not alone.For many widows, the anniversary of their wedd...
348. How to Regulate Your Nervous System After Losing a Partner
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If life feels harder in your body since your person died, if you notice yourself feeling grumpy, exhausted, numb, or overwhelmed in ways that don't al...
347. How Teens Grieve After Losing a Parent: A Conversation with Aubrey Galyon
19 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a teenager loses a parent? In this episode, I sit down with Aubrey Galyon, daughter of longtime Mom Goes On member and coach Jamie ...
346. Am I Ready to Love Again? Four Myths Widows Believe About Dating
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When you've lost your person, the question of whether you're ready to love again can stir up so many emotions all at once. In this episode, I ex...
345. What If I Just Want to Be Single? An Interview with Thrive Solo Author Lucy Meggeson
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What if being single isn't something to fix or change, but actually a valid life choice worth celebrating? Maybe you're feeling pressure from family a...
344. The Best of The Widowed Mom Podcast
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After 343 episodes of The Widowed Mom Podcast, my team and I decided to do something special for the holidays.We pulled together the moments that have...
343. Music Therapy for Grief: An Interview with Tim Ringgold
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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....
Your Path to Healing in 2026 Starts Here: Mom Goes On New Year’s Pass
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
342. 5 Ideas for Creating New Traditions After Loss
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 celebrat...
341. Parenting While Grieving
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, angry, or deeply tired as you navigate solo parenting after loss? Maybe you judge yourself for those feeling...
340. How to Talk to Your Children About Death
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 fe...
339. The Most Difficult Part About Being a Widow
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
338. How to Have a Difficult Conversation: An Interview with Sara Fisk
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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. Ma...
337. 5 Ways to Survive the Holidays as a Widow
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 me...
336. Grief During the Holidays
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The holidays bring a unique kind of heaviness when you're navigating them without your person. Your brain searches for them in every familiar traditio...
335. 3 Things Widows Need to Get Unstuck
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
334. What to Say and What NOT to Say to a New Widow
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 s...
333. That Thing You Can't Stop Thinking About: Ruminating in Widowhood
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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, someth...
332. Intent vs. Impact in Widowhood
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 i...
331. Grief and the Secondary Loss of Friendships
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 expec...
330. End Emotional Outsourcing with Bea Albina
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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" ...
329. Why Waiting for Motivation Keeps You Stuck
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
328. Widowhood and the ‘What-If’ Doom Spiral
08 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 kn...
327. From Alone to Connected: 3 Ways Widows Can Ease Loneliness in Public
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 h...
326. Can Widows Change Their Happiness Set Point?
25 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
325. The Healing Grief Spiral: A New Way to Understand Grief Integration
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grief doesn't follow a straight line. It spirals. When intense emotions resurface months or even years later, when you circle back to feelings you tho...
324. The Power of Community in Widowhood: A Widows Unfiltered Interview with Jennifer Schroeder
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Community isn't just about having people around you - it's about finding those who truly understand the weight of what you're carrying. When Jen...
323. When Life After Loss Feels Hard
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Life after loss can feel heavy. Not just in the early days of grief, but years later when you're managing moves, anniversaries, and unexpected challen...
322. Trusting Yourself as a Widow
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you find yourself second-guessing every decision since your loss? When grief hits, the ground beneath your feet doesn't just shift - it disappears ...
321. What No One Tells You About Feeling Stuck After Loss
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling stuck after loss looks different than most people imagine. You're functioning, checking off your to-do list, and everyone thinks you're doing ...
320. The Invisible Ceiling After Loss
14 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There’s an invisible ceiling above you, limiting what you believe is possible for your life after loss. You didn't put it there consciously, you pro...
319. When Your Grief Includes Anger
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When Hugo died, people kept assuming I'd be furious at the driver who had meth and alcohol in his system. But the anger just wasn't there - it fe...
318. How Black-and-White Thinking Can Hijack Life After Loss
30 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Black-and-white thinking shows up everywhere in grief - in the harsh judgments we make about ourselves, in the impossible standards we hold ourselves ...
317. The Pressure to Be Productive in Grief
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I'm addressing the productivity pressure that so many widows face - that nagging feeling that you should be doing more, moving f...
316. Life After Loss: Grief Plateaus and Dirty Light Fixtures
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While cleaning light fixtures in my home, I discovered layers of built-up dirt that had dimmed what were actually crystal-clear glass fixtures. For ye...
315. When Gratitude Is a Grief Blocker
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As I navigate intense emotions using my regular tapping practice, I've noticed a common pattern that many of us fall into during grief - attempting to...
314. 5 Signs You’re Ready to Love Life after Loss
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Living a full and meaningful life after loss isn't about waiting until you feel completely ready - it's about recognizing the subtle signs that you're...
313. Can Widows Be Truly Happy Without Dating Again?
26 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is true happiness possible without pursuing another romantic relationship? This is a question many widows contemplate privately. In this episode...
312. The Shock of Widowhood: A Widows Unfiltered Interview with Janet Lea
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this raw and unfiltered conversation, I sit down with my client Janet Lea who shares her experience of grief after losing her wife of 43 years. Jan...
311. Am I Grieving the Right Way?
12 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Am I doing this wrong?” The question haunts so many of us on our grief journey. We look around at other widows, compare our progress to arbitrary...
310. The Grieving Body: An Interview with Mary-Frances O’Connor
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered why grief feels so physical? Why your heart races, your sleep vanishes, and your body aches when you're mourning the loss of so...
309. Staying Busy to Avoid Grief
28 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are you filling every hour of your day since your partner died? Maybe well-meaning friends have advised you to “just stay busy” or “g...
308. Suicide Loss and Healing: A Widows Unfiltered Interview with Jo Kleinsorge
21 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when the life you thought was perfect suddenly shatters? In this week's episode, I sit down with Jo Kleinsorge, who lost her high school ...
307. Why Do I Feel the Need to Control Everything?
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you find yourself trying to control everything in your life since losing your person? If so, I want you to know that this is completely normal, esp...
306. Sad in Spring: If Flowers Are Blooming, Shouldn’t I Be Happy?
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you look outside at the blooming flowers and singing birds and wonder why you don't feel as bright and cheerful as the season suggests you should? ...
305. How to Give Yourself a Break And Why You Probably Need One
31 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How often are you pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion? For many widows, juggling work, children, household responsibilities, and grief creates...
304. The Power of Small Wins in Grief
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel like your grief progress is too slow? That the little things you accomplish each day don't really matter in the grand scheme of thing...
303. When Friends Vanish, Why It Happens, and How to Handle It
17 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I open up about my own recent experience with secondary loss, feeling the impact of recent plane crashes that involved the same types of aircraft my l...
302. Necessary Endings for Widows
10 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Letting go can be incredibly challenging after loss. It may feel like a betrayal to release things tied to your partner's memory. However, holding on ...
301. Help Me Stop Eating My Grief
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emotional eating is incredibly common, especially for those dealing with grief. It's not just about food either - maybe for you it's over drinking, ov...
300. What I’ve Learned About Grief in 300 Episodes
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I want to reflect on what I have learned in the last 100 episodes, building on the lessons I shared back in episode 200. Let's dive into eight powerfu...
299. Are You Struggling or Are You Sad?
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I share a simple yet powerful mindset shift that can help you navigate your emotions with more ease and less suffering. I explore the difference betwe...
298. Reimagining Valentine’s Day as a Day of Connection
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if I told you there was a way to reimagine Valentine's Day and make it a meaningful, connecting experience - even in the midst of grief? I ...
297. Creating Post-Traumatic Growth with These Powerful Sentences
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I explore the fascinating concept of post-traumatic growth and how it's available to all of us, including widows. Post-traumatic growth doesn't mean b...
296. Rebuilding Confidence After Loss: A Widows Unfiltered Interview with Danielle Fitzpatrick
27 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt stuck in your grief, unsure of how to move forward after losing your husband? I talk with Danielle Fitzpatrick about her journey th...
295. I’m Doing All the Things, Why Don’t I Love My Life?
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you're doing everything right but still not feeling the happiness you expect, you're not alone. Many widows face this challenge, even after putting...
294. Grief Is a Feature, Not a Bug
13 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if, instead of being in the way of fully living life, grief is actually the way to fully living? I invite you to consider a powerful reframe: gri...
293. Your Only Job This Year
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Do you feel inundated by all the "New Year, New You" messaging right now? What if, instead of trying to fix ourselves, your only job this year was to ...
292. Navigating Life’s Next Chapter: From Game 1 to Game 2
30 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The death of a loved one can feel like the end of the game, but it’s important to remember that life doesn’t stop. Learn the concept of Game 1 ver...
291. Why the Holidays Hurt & How to Create the Experience You Want
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Why does the holiday season feel so challenging after loss, and what can you do to have an easier, more present experience at this time of year, even ...
290. Grief, Sadness, and Joy: Lessons from Inside Out 2
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From the emotional volatility and disruption to our sense of self to the challenges we might face in our relationships, I explore what Inside Out 2 te...
289. Grief, Sadness, and Joy: Lessons from Inside Out
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I explore the profound lessons about grief, sadness, and joy from the beloved Disney Pixar movie, Inside Out, and share how they mirror our own e...
288. The Righting Reflex in Grief
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever shared something difficult about your grief, only to have someone respond with a dismissive comment like, “They're in a better place”...
287. Navigating the Labyrinth of Grief: A Widows Unfiltered Interview with Amy Krill
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I sit down with my client, Amy Krill, who shares her story of love, loss, and resilience after the unexpected passing of her husband four years ago.&n...
286. We Learn by Doing
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I share a powerful philosophy that has transformed my approach to personal growth and decision-making: we learn by doing. Hear examples of how l...
285. Handling Holiday Triggers as a Widow
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you dreading the holidays as a widow? Do certain sights, smells, or sounds trigger painful memories and emotions during this festive season? The h...
284. Party of One: An Interview with Meghan Keane
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel pressured to find a romantic partner in order to be truly happy? What if being single was actually an opportunity to build a rich, fu...
283. Holding on vs. Honoring
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you holding on to your late partner’s belongings, unsure of when or how to let them go? It’s a tricky balance isn’t it - the desire to keep ...
282. The Pressure to Be Productive
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From the Industrial Revolution to the modern-day superwoman ideal, women in grief especially have internalized the belief that our worth is tied to ou...
281. Rethinking the Ache
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt that deep ache or yearning after losing your person? While it’s a normal part of the grieving process, our minds often make ...
280. Finding Joy Again: A Widows Unfiltered Interview with Jenny Douglas
07 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jenny Douglas is an amazing widow who has been through the trenches of grief and come out the other side. We discuss how Jenny rebuilt her life and re...
279. Widowhood as a Doorway
30 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever considered that widowhood could be a doorway to a more intentional life? It's not about loving that our person died, but about usin...
278. The Double Whammy of Empty Nesting and Widowhood
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When empty nesting meets widowhood, you can expect to experience complex emotions. This unique combination of life transitions can feel like a do...
277. First Thoughts in Grief
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Those automatic, habitual first thoughts you have in grief might not be particularly kind or useful, but the good news is that with awareness, you can...
276. The Unexpected Gifts of Grief: A Widows Unfiltered Interview with Helen Tanner
09 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
18 months ago, Helen Tanner was widowed after her husband Philip died unexpectedly following a short illness. In this episode, Helen shares her raw ex...
275. An Essential Ingredient to Loving Life Again
02 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most essential ingredients to loving life again, yet one of the least talked about, is your belief in your inherent worthiness. Even i...
274. Grief Power Grabs
26 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hugo’s death happened in such a way that, within a matter of hours, the rug had been ripped right out from underneath me, and he was gone. Whil...
273. Helpful Thoughts in Grief
19 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Losing a loved one leaves us feeling like we’re at the effect of circumstances in life we didn’t and would never ask for. While we can’t ch...
272. Finding Strength in Loss: A Widows Unfiltered Interview with Berit Van Neste
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How do you allow yourself space to grieve without fighting your feelings? This is something my Mom Goes On client, Berit Van Neste, had to learn ...
271. The 'And' of Dating Again as a Widow
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I get mad when people suggest false binaries in the dating experience of widows, especially when they haven’t been through this experience themselve...
270. Post-Traumatic Growth in the Small Things
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Every single day, I work with widows who are creating post-traumatic growth and don’t even realize it because the changes they’re undergoing don’...
269. When Your In-Laws Don't Agree
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I have coached widows who are struggling with their in-laws countless times. It’s an experience that’s extremely common, and while these situation...
268. How to Live a Full, Rich, Vibrant Life: A Widows Unfiltered Interview with KC Morris
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
My client, KC Morris, has accomplished a lot since her husband’s passing, but she felt there was more to life than just keeping her household togeth...
267. Why We Shouldn’t Grow from Grief
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I love the possibilities that post-traumatic growth gives us in grief, but while growth is always available to us, it is far from a “should.” Whet...
266. Is This Normal in Grief?
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Grief is intense and complicated and completely unique to each and every person, so if you’re seeking reassurance that your experience is normal, yo...
265. Smiling at Sadness
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When you’ve experienced so much sadness, it’s common to feel worn down by it. But sadness doesn’t exist to hold you back. It’s there to remind...
264. Permission to Have an Extraordinary Life: A Widows Unfiltered Interview with Christy O’Neil
17 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do when you want to love life again after loss, but your happiness and joy left with your person? After the death of her husband Rob,...
263. Widowhood and the Seven Deadly Sins: An Interview with Elise Loehnen
10 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Among her many significant achievements, Elise Loehnen is the author of the NewYork Times bestseller, On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and ...
262. What Taylor Swift Got Wrong About Grief
03 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Taylor Swift is someone I have a lot of admiration and respect for. She’s a phenomenal artist and businesswoman with a list of accomplishments ...
261. ‘And’ - The Most Powerful Word in Grief
27 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There are so many false binaries in grief that make the experience more painful than it already is. From forced gratitude to sweeping your sadnes...
260. Questioning Your Faith after Loss: A Widows Unfiltered Interview with Stephanie Hester-Rodriguez
20 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
My Mom Goes On client Stephanie Hester-Rodriguez lost her husband in October 2021 after he contracted COVID. She went from living her happiest, ...
259. Introducing Grief Essentials and Your New Widow Questions Answered
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Early acute grief often brings with it a sense of chaos and so many questions about what’s normal or what to expect. This time tends to feel li...
258. Answering the Dreaded “How Are You Doing?” Question
06 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How are you doing? This is one of the most common questions widows are asked, and if you dread it, you’re most definitely not alone. Hear why widows...