Filled With Gold Widow Podcast: Recent Episodes
Melissa Pierce
Thanks for listening! Check out new episodes on the Widow Squad Podcast!
Sponsored by the Widow Squad - a community of widows moving forward after the death of their life partner.
Thanks for listening!
Check out new episodes on the Widow Squad Podcast!
Sponsored by the Widow Squad - a community of widows moving forward after the death of their life partner.
On this week's Filled With Gold podcast, we're talking with Anna Jollymore.
Anna is a Grief Advocate and Mental Health Educator who is passionate about transforming grief into grace.
She facilitates an educational program called the Grief Recovery Method, designed to guide people through experiences of Big Loss and Big Change. This program is heart-centered, action-oriented, and evidence-based and has been helping grievers heal for over 40 years.
Using the Grief Recovery Method, Anna teaches people the tools and skills they need to process loss directly, so that they can “get un-stuck" and move forward in life with a renewed capacity for hope, joy, and belonging.
Website: https://www.griefrecoverymethod.com/grms/anna-jollymore
IG: @healtoday_grm
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-jollymore/
This episode is brought to you by:
- The Widow Squad, A community of widows learning new things, building friendships, and inspiring healing after loss
Catherine Tidd is this week’s special guest on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
Catherine is the author of Confessions of a Mediocre Widow, the owner of Social Seed Marketing, and founder of the Widow Chick Facebook page. She's also the contributing author of several essays in books and anthologies on grief and recovery, and has authored blogs for the Mile High Mamas.
Listen in as Catherine and I talk about:
- struggling to find support after her husband’s sudden death
- writing her blog and book as a way to cope with loss and grief
- there’s no “right” way to do this & having compassion for ourselves
- find out about Table For One, Drinks For Two!
FB: WidowChick
IG: @catherine_tidd
Website: catherinetidd.com
This episode is brought to you by:
- Filled With Gold, a box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep
- Grief Coach, personalized, text-based grief support. Visit here for $10 off
- Widow411: Guiding widows through life after loss - Get the Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows here
Debbie Weiss is this week’s special guest on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
Debbie's essays have been published in the New York Times Modern Love column, HuffPost Women's Day, Good Housekeeping, Elle Decor and Reader's Digest, among other publications.
Her award winning blog, The Hungover Widow, dispenses empathy and advice on grief and dating after loss.
Debbie’s book, Available As Is: A Midlife Widow's Search for Love, talks about her own experiences, but more importantly, it's about creating a new life following an all-encompassing marriage.
Listen in as Debbie and I talk about:
- Meeting her husband George at the age of 7 (he was 11)
- Debbie and George’s sometimes isolating “bubble” they created
- Jumping into the dating world after George’s death
- Writing + drinking = The Hungover Widow blog
- Making new friends and learning to look out for herself
IG: thehungoverwidow
Website: thehungoverwidow.com
This episode is brought to you by:
- Filled With Gold, a monthly box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep each month.
- Grief Coach, personalized, text-based grief support. Visit www.grief.coach/filledwithgold/ for $10 off
- Widow411: Guiding widows through life after loss - Get the Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows here
#widow #hungoverwidow #youngwidow#youngwidow #widowhood #selfcare #widowsofinstagram #filledwithgoldpodcast #filledwithgoldbox
I am really excited to share my chat with Jamie Metzgar on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
Jamie is a former academic, current wineau, and a sometimes writer. After losing her husband Bill suddenly in 2019, Jamie launched her grief coaching practice to help other widows on the younger side of life navigate what comes next. Her book "Salt & Ash & Honey & Magic" is about her journey with grief. In addition to her memoir, Jamie writes poetry and travel articles and is hard at work on her first novel.
Listen in as Jamie shares:
- how she moved through the loss of her husband, their dog, her house and her job (all within 6 months!).
- The best ways to support a grieving loved one.
- The story behind the title of her acclaimed book, “Salt & Ash & Honey & Magic”
You can get in touch with Jamie at https://www.widowwellnesscoaching.com
This episode is brought to you by:
- Filled With Gold, a box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep.
- Grief Coach, personalized, text-based grief support. Visit www.grief.coach/filledwithgold/ for $10 off
- Widow411: Guiding widows through life after loss - Get the Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows here
#widow #youngwidow #youngwidow #widowhood #selfcare #widowsofinstagram #filledwithgoldpodcast #filledwithgoldbox
I was so excited to chat with Carole Brody Fleet on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
Carole is a multi-award winning author of four books, including thirteen-time international bestseller, “Widows Wear Stilettos”, now in its second edition. A media contributor, six-time contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul and as an expert in grief recovery, Carole has made nearly 1,300 radio show appearances and additionally appears on numerous television programs; as well as in worldwide print and web media.
Listen in as Carole and I talk about:
- Carole’s widow story - her husband’s death left her a young widow & solo parent
- Creating the book she wanted to read
- Widows Wear Stilettos is a practical guide - and a much needed emotional guide in widowhood
- How the word “YET” factors into moving forward
“Time does not heal all wounds…but being proactive can." - Carole Brody Fleet
FB: CaroleBFleet
IG: @CaroleBrodyFleet
Website: widowswearstilettos.com
This episode is brought to you by:
- Filled With Gold, a box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep.
- Grief Coach, personalized, text-based grief support. Visit www.grief.coach/filledwithgold/ for $10 off
- Widow411: Guiding widows through life after loss - Get the Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows here
#widow #widowswearstilettos #youngwidow #soloparent #onlyparent #youngwidow #widowhood #selfcare #widowsofinstagram #filledwithgoldpodcast #filledwithgoldbox
It’s so great to connect with Dawn Nargi on this week’s Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
Dawn is the Executive Director and co-founder of “The W Connection: Widows Helping Widows Rebuild Their Lives”. In this role, she passionately dedicates herself to the operations, growth, and strategic vision of the W Connection community.
Prior to her role at The W Connection, Dawn spent 20+ years working in some of the most recognizable financial services Firms in the world and several technology startups.
She has been featured in New York Times, ABC News and has shared her story to provide encouragement for women facing transition or trauma. She is currently working on her memoir.
In her free time, she can be seen in Central Park with her rescue dog, Bruno and her teenage son, William.
Listen in as Dawn and I talk about:
- Dawn’s widow story - her husband Norman’s death shortly after their son was born premature
- Very specific advice Dawn received from a nun - and not following it
- Gilda’s Club and the gift of being with other widows & widowers
- Creating the W Connection community
- There is no right or wrong way to be a widow
“The people who gave me the best advice were those people who’ve been through this already or are going through this now." - Dawn Nargi
FB: thewconnection
IG: widowshelpingwidows
Website: widowsconnection.org
This episode is brought to you by:
- Filled With Gold, a monthly box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep each month. Get $22 off your first subscription box with coupon code PODCAST50!
- Grief Coach, personalized, text-based grief support. Visit www.grief.coach/filledwithgold/ for $10 off
- Widow411: Guiding widows through life after loss - Get the Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows here
#widow #widowshelpingwidows #youngwidow #soloparent #onlyparent #youngwidow #widowhood #selfcare #widowsofinstagram #filledwithgoldpodcast #filledwithgoldbox
We're taking a break from the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast for the month of August. We'll be back in September for a new season of inspirational stories and interviews!
I’m thrilled to be talking with Marie Scott on this week’s Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
Marie is a Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach and is passionate about helping widows and widowers gain health, humor, and love back into their lives again.
Listen in as Marie and I talk about:
- How stepping out on the dance floor led to her most important love partnerships
- Her late husband Dave’s difficult choice
- Does fit equal healthy? Losing 30 pounds in 6 weeks
- Life with her, husband-in-this-life, Jeffrey
- 7 Steps to Healing After Loss - it really works!
“You can embrace life again!" - Marie Scott
Website: www.mariescottwellness.com
FB: www.facebook.com/groups/happyandhealthywidow
IG: @mariescottwellness
This episode is brought to you by:
- Filled With Gold, a monthly box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep each month. Get $22 off your first subscription box with coupon code PODCAST50!
- Grief Coach, personalized, text-based grief support. Visit www.grief.coach/filledwithgold/ for $10 off
- Widow411: Guiding widows through life after loss - Get the Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows here
On this week’s Filled With Gold Widow Podcast, our special guest is Rachel Donnelly - Founder of Black Dress Consultants.
Rachel strategically manages the unavoidable tasks of after loss and end-of-life so that individuals and families can stop wondering what they should be doing and get back to the things that matter!
After many experiences with loss, including the death of her parents at a young age, Rachel founded Black Dress Consultants, a consulting firm that helps individuals and families manage the unavoidable tasks and logistics of after loss and end-of-life.
On this episode, Rachel and I chat about:
- The need for a “project manager” to help with death & dying
- How doing all the tasks & business of death delays the grieving process
- What happens after the beloved #hamcake is all gone?
- Steps Rachel took to build to create her one-of-a-kind business
- Her upcoming Professionals of After Loss Services training course (afterlosspros.com)!
“Legacy planning is the greatest gift you can give your family." - Rachel Donnelly
www.blackdressconsultants.com
IG: @blackdressconsultants
This episode is brought to you by:
- Filled With Gold, a monthly box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep each month. Get $22 off your first subscription box with coupon code PODCAST50!
- Grief Coach, personalized, text-based grief support. Visit www.grief.coach/filledwithgold/ for $10 off
- Widow411: Guiding widows through life after loss - Get the Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows here
When Astarie Dennis' husband died from complications related to diabetes, she was left to raise their son Andrew as a young widow and solo-parent. For years, Astarie had been her husband's primary caregiver, putting her own needs and wants aside.
Astarie orginally started making skin care products to treat her son's excema. After her husband's death, she found solace and a creative outlet in making skincare products as her full time business - Astarie Apothecary.
Listen in to this powerful episode as Astarie shares her story in the hope of helping other caregivers and widows.
Astarie is a powerful reminder that even in the darkest of times, it is possible to find hope and light.
www.astarieapothecary.com
IG: @astarieapothecary
This episode is brought to you by:
- Filled With Gold, a monthly box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep each month. Get $22 off your first subscription box with coupon code PODCAST50!
- Grief Coach, personalized, text-based grief support. Visit www.grief.coach/filledwithgold/ for $10 off
- Widow411: Guiding widows through life after loss - Get the Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows here
Tina Murphy guides widows in creating a spending plan so they can enjoy life today while being relaxed about their financial future and she joins us on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
In 2013, Tina’s husband Jamie, suddenly died, leaving her to raise her 2 young boys. The loss of her husband led her to turn to online shopping as a reprieve from the intense pain.
Tina’s healing process began to flourish when she learned how to actually process her pain. As she made peace with her grieving process, Tina was able to take control of her spending. She began using her money to buy items that brought her joy while also being mindful of her financial future.
Tina then made it her mission to support other widows going through the same healing process. She is a certified life coach for widows through the Life Coach School and an active member of Coach Connections, an international money coaching community. With 25+ years of personal finance teaching experience and her new educational training, she created her Next Level Widow Coaching program!
On this episode, Tina and I chat about:
- Numbing out TV and online shopping to try and feel better after her husband’s death
- How life coach certification changed her life
- Processing feelings vs. toxic positivity
- Learning to feel the emotions that come up
- The powerful tool she uses to to help widows understand and process emotions to move forward
This episode is brought to you by:
- Filled With Gold, a monthly box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep each month. Get $22 off your first subscription box with coupon code PODCAST50!
- Grief Coach, personalized, text-based grief support. Visit www.grief.coach/filledwithgold/ for $10 off
- Widow411: Guiding widows through life after loss - Get the Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows here
Carolyn Moor is such a force for widow advocacy. She is honored to represent widows around the world and I’m honored to have her on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
Carolyn is the Founder and Development Director of Modern Widows Club. Widowed on Valentine’s Day 2000 and with two young daughters to raise solo. Carolyn struggled to find the mentors she needed to model the healing and growth she desperately sought in the stage of widowhood. This ultimately led to the founding of Modern Widows Club in Carolyn’s very own living room in 2011.
Carolyn is a TEDxOakland speaker and bereavement consultant. She has participated in the UN Women Commission on the Status of Women, the Global Leadership Network, and she has been featured as a model of resilience in the Wall Street Journal, the Oprah Winfrey Show and numerous other women’s health media broadcasts. Her work on behalf of widows is recognized nationally and internationally.
Carolyn is the host of the Healthy Widow Healthy Woman Podcast and ecourse curriculum developer at the WESOT Widow Empowerment School of Thought.
On this episode, Carolyn and I chat about:
- Her husband Chad’s death and the aftermath
- Solo-parenting her two daughters
- The re-traumatizing event that led Carolyn to rebuild
- The “Oprah Effect”
- Starting Modern Widows Club in her living room
- Widowhood = Women’s health issue & a human rights issue!
- Her work, advocating for widows all over the world
“There’s this camaraderie between widows that is so powerful, even when so little is said.” - Carolyn Moor
https://www.carolynmoor.com
https://modernwidowsclub.org
https://www.facebook.com/modernwidowsclub
This episode is brought to you by:
- Filled With Gold, a monthly box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep each month. Get $22 off your first subscription box with coupon code PODCAST50!
- Grief Coach, personalized, text-based grief support. Visit www.grief.coach/filledwithgold/ for $10 off
- Widow411: Guiding widows through life after loss - Get the Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows here
Chasity Williams is the Executive Director and Board President for the Hope for Widows Foundation, a philanthropic, charitable giving organization developed by widowed women that strives to offset the financial challenges of and build community among widowed women worldwide and she joins us on this episode of the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast.
Chasity is also involved with several volunteer organizations, including grief facilitation, bereavement support at local hospices, and leading several online grief resources. Her passion and heart are to serve and help widows.
Chasity is an author that shares a collection of stories by widows across the globe. Each shares their own personal insight into the hidden and often unspoken challenges of losing a husband, including the emotional, mental and social shifts we are forced to reckon with in the aftermath. Her books are Grief Diaries: Through the Eyes of a Widow and The Unwelcome Committee.
Website: www.hopeforwidows.org
Twitter: @hope4widows
Instagram:@hopeforwidows
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hope4widows
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope4widows/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRZjAr1U71lDcatE3sAt6Zg
This episode is brought to you by:
- Filled With Gold, a monthly box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep each month. Get $22 off your first subscription box with coupon code PODCAST50!
- Grief Coach, personalized, text-based grief support. Visit www.grief.coach/filledwithgold/ for $10 off
- Widow411: Guiding widows through life after loss - Get the Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows here
Why laugh? Because it's messed up that your spouse is dead and sometimes humor can help you cope. Tawny Platis of Death Is Hilarious is our special guest on this week’s episode of the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast. Tawny is a comedian, actor, and the founder of the nonprofit organization Death is Hilarious Grief Relief Foundation which provides grief mentorships, virtual peer to peer support groups, education, and community resources.
Listen in to find out about:
- Tawny crushing on her future husband, George, in the 6th grade
- His resemblance to a famous actor!
- Knowing George would die young and her anticipatory grief
- How an impromptu stand-up routine for the EMT’s who tried to revive George was key to Tawny’s survival after his death
- Creating the non-profit organization, Death is Hilarious Grief Relief Foundation!
- Tawny’s widow centric comedy special!!
Website: DeathIsHilarious.com
Twitter + Instagram: @thatdeathpod
TikTok: @ tawnyplatis
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold, a monthly box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep each month.
Get 50% off your first box - use code PODCAST50 (shipping is included for all US orders).
Visit our website filledwithgold.org to learn more about our monthly boxes for widows.
Kathi Balasek is an educator, widow coach, empathy and grief literacy coach, university lecturer, speaker and she joins us on this episode of the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast. Kathi became a widow at a young age while raising five children. She helps women experiencing widowhood to move forward. She also teaches and trains professionals in grief literacy and empathy skills. Her mission is to champion widows and help others support and understand their journey.
On this episode, Kathi and I chat about:
- Her husband Jon’s death from brain cancer.
- Being Jon’s caregiver as well as raising 5 kids on her own.
- Widowhood changed her perspective on life and she lives each day in the present
- Her grief counselor’s words of wisdom was exactly what she needed to hear
- The hardest part of widowhood is taking those first steps but those steps build momentum in rebuilding your life.
- What do jello and dominos have to do with all this??
“He didn’t teach me how to die, he taught me how to live.” - Kathi Balasek
https://www.kathibalasek.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathi.balasek
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathi-balasek-ma-929642199/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kathi_balasek
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathibalasek/
Book recommendation:
The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold, a monthly box of comfort to help widows through this difficult and overwhelming time. It’s the gift of hope and healing every widow needs to arrive on her doorstep each month.
Each monthly box is filled with widow-curated items that encourage resilience and self-love. Whether a Filled With Gold gift box is for you or for your friend, it’s the perfect gift of hope and healing.
Visit our website filledwithgold.org to learn more about our monthly boxes for widows!
Get 50% off your first box with your coupon code PODCAST50!
Constance Hart, the Founder of Conscious Colors and the Creator of Color Aroma, joins us on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast this week - so many “a-ha” moments in this episode! Constance is a Color Therapy Expert, Intuitive Guide, and a Visionary with Emotional Wellness.
For over 30 years, Constance has taught the benefits of engaging with colors to have better emotional balance.
Constance is also a widow, coming upon the four-year anniversary of her husband’s death. She is passionate about helping others with the grieving experience and all facets of grief emotions. Everything she has learned and practiced prior to her husband’s death is now helping her- as well as her clients and students, evolve with emotions and find contentment through the process.
“We have been broken open…” - Constance Hart
On this episode, Constance and I chat about:
- Her husband Ed’s death 4 years ago from a stroke/aneurysm brought on by a root canal
- “Surreal” is a good word to capture our widowhood experience
- Taking baby steps to emotional presence - allowing emotions without feeling shameful or holding back
- How colors affect our emotions & the role of color and aroma in supporting widows in moving forward
- The role of Cottage Health Hospital - Santa Barbara in Constance’s grief support
Website: www.consciouscolors.com
Instagram: @coloraroma
Facebook: ColorTherapyExpert
Book recommendations:
BodyMind by Ken Dychtwald.
It’s OK that you’re not OK by Megan Devine
I Don’t Have a Disease
by Constance Hart
I don’t have a disease.
You can’t catch what I have.
(I have grief.)
I have something you will have one day
And
I’m sorry that you’re too afraid to be near me,
but you can’t catch this
...not now
You’ll catch it in your own timing and when you do, I believe you may regret that you didn’t hang around me at this time.
For I’ve been shown things.
Miraculous things.
I’ve been living things you are only shown through love and grief.
And they’d probably rub off on you,
if you were here.
If you were here, you’d see
I don’t have a disease.
I have grief.
And you might actually want to catch it from me now.
This dis-ease of grief.
Catch it now, before it catches you later.
Because for sure it will catch up to you.
This dis-ease that is not a disease.
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care support boxes for widows. Hand-selected items to nurture the body, mind, and spirit after the loss of a spouse. Made with love, by a widow, for widows.
filledwithgold.org
#widow #colortherapy #widowhood #grief #selfcare #widowed #widowsofinstagram #griefandloss #griefsupport #aromatherapy #filledwithgoldpodcast #filledwithgoldbox #campwidow
Are you in need of some extra support as you’re grieving the loss of your spouse? Then check out this episode of the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast as Stephanie von Meeteren and I chat about how making small changes can make a big difference in your health, wellness & healing.
Stephanie is a Clinical and Spiritual Yoga Therapist who splits her time between the majestic Sierra Nevada and the California coast.
The strong calling to help people learn how to heal their mental/physical/spiritual suffering led to a midlife career change.
As a women’s health and wellness specialist she teaches people how to tap into the deep joy that is everyone’s birthright.
“Self-care is self empowerment” - Stephanie von Meeteren
On this episode, Stephanie and I talk about:
- Yoga Therapy’s role in teaching you to regulate your nervous system
- The best time to go to sleep
- What happens to your body between 10 pm and 2 am
- Setting a morning and evening routine brings ease to the nervous system
- Nose breathing vs. mouth breathing
- Golden Milk recipe for a good night’s rest
- heat a cup of milk (or plant mylk) on the stove
- add in ¼ to ½ teaspoon turmeric, a dash of black pepper and maple syrup to taste
- drink warm
Website – www.LucidStateYoga.com
FB- https://www.facebook.com/LucidStateYoga
LI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-von-meeteren-808ab71b8/
IG- https://www.instagram.com/stephvonmeeteren/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/StephvonMeeteren/_created/
FREE meditations for grief support: https://mailchi.mp/83362eb4c2be/76s50lz3ew
Book recommendation: Breath by James Nestor https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care support boxes for widows. Hand-selected items to nurture the body, mind, and spirit after the loss of a spouse. Made with love, by a widow, for widows.
filledwithgold.org
#widow #yogatherapy #widowhood #grief #selfcare #widowed #widowsofinstagram #griefandloss #griefsupport #youngandwidowed #filledwithgoldpodcast #filledwithgoldbox
On this episode of the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast, we’re chatting with John Polo. John is a coach, author and speaker. In January 2016, John lost his wife, Michelle, to cancer. From the rubble of everything that he once knew, consumed by desperation and despair, John held on long enough until he found his hope. And he slowly rebuilt.
Today John helps others through his social media, books, coaching, workshops, speeches, and podcasts.
From grief to dating, self-growth, and everything in between, John offers a style of coaching that is not only effective but also very personal and unique.
John is the author of three books, host of two podcasts and has worked with clients on thousands of coaching sessions. He has been featured on People.com, NBC, The Huffington Post, Yahoo, Fox and more.
“I have been broken so many times in my life, and yet here I am even after thinking that I could never go on. It is possible to rebuild. Yourself, and your life. My goal is to help people through their pain and struggles, so that they can create - and enjoy - a better tomorrow.” - John Polo
John and I talk about:
- writing Michelle’s eulogy and their love story while she was in a coma
- starting a blog to express himself & his grief, leading to speaking and writing books
- his desire to survive and rebuild necessitated taking care of himself
- Self-care is absolutely essential when rebuilding your life!
Website :: www.johnpolocoaching.com
FB :: https://www.facebook.com/johnpolocoaching/
Instagram :: https://www.instagram.com/johnpolocoaching/
Youtube :: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5FDIZBB-QsbPDSrFy3DgqQ?view_as=subscriber
Twitter :: https://twitter.com/jpolocoaching
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows. Hand-selected items to nurture the body, mind, and spirit after the loss of a spouse. Made, with love, by a widow for widows.
filledwithgold.org
Wouldn’t you like to know the top $$ mistakes widows make and how to avoid them? Then listen to my conversation with Stacy Francis on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
Stacy is the President and CEO of Francis Financial, a fee-only boutique wealth management, financial planning, and divorce financial planning firm dedicated to providing ongoing comprehensive advice for successful individuals, couples, and women in transition such as divorce or widowhood. She is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), Certified Grief Recovery Specialist® and Certified Estate and Trust Specialist (CES™) with over 20 years of experience in the financial industry. Stacy is also the founder of the non-profit, Savvy Ladies™ and host of the Financially Ever After podcast.
Stacy and I talk about:
- her inspiration to help women take the driver’s seat with family finances
- opening up about taboo money topics
- breaking the shame spiral around talking about money
- the Savvy Ladies non-profit she started, providing free financial advice and education for all women!
Website: www.FrancisFinancial.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/FrancisFinancialInc/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/francisfinancialinc
Stacy’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StacyFrancisFinancial/
Stacy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacyfrancis/
Financial Help for Widows: A Complete Resource Guide - complimentary resource guide:
https://francisfinancial.com/financial-help-for-widows/
Retirement calculator: http://www3.troweprice.com/ric/ric/public/ric.do
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows. Hand-selected items to nurture the body, mind, and spirit after the loss of a spouse. Made, with love, by a widow for widows.
filledwithgold.org
Author and Inner Voice Coach, Kelly Covert, is on this week’s Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
Kelly is passionate about helping women listen to their inner voice and own their worthiness. Through her intuitive, heart-centered approach, she teaches how to create kinder habits that allow growth and transformation, while cultivating personal enoughness every day. She helps women step into their enoughness, own their imperfections with grace, and embody their innate worthiness each and every day.
She is the creator and host of In Her Voice, a podcast for women who want to live a fulfilling life of purpose guided by their inner voice. She is the author of The Enoughness Planner and Give Yourself Permission -- a pocket-sized notebook of permission slips.
Kelly and I talk about:
-
What “enoughness” is
-
Turning up your true inner voice of wisdom
-
Knowing the questions to ask yourself
-
Getting clear on your desires
-
Giving yourself permission to go out of your comfort zone (suffering not required!)
“You are enough right now!” - Kelly Covert
Links:
Website/books: www.kellycovert.com/books
Instagram: instagram.com/kellyjcovert
In Her Voice: www.kellycovert.com/podcast
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows. Hand-selected items to nurture the body, mind, and spirit after the loss of a spouse. Made, with love, by a widow for widows.
filledwithgold.org
This week's Filled With Gold Widow Podcast is a short one - a holiday message from Melissa and an announcement!
Hear about what's upcoming in the new year and a powerful message on self-care.
You are worthy of being taken care of.
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows. Hand-selected items to nurture the body, mind, and spirit after the loss of a spouse. Made for widows with love by a widow.
filledwithgold.org
On this week’s Filled With Gold Widow Podcast, Rachel Kodanaz and I talk about navigating grief in the workplace.
Rachel is a heart-minded professional specializing in current and relevant approaches in support of individuals and workplaces following a loss or trauma. She is a best-selling author, seasoned keynote speaker, and business consultant.
She has served on many grief-related boards of directors and has published numerous articles, blogs, podcasts, and has appeared on Good Morning America. Her books include best-selling Living with Loss One Day at a Time, Finding Peace, One Piece at a Time: What to do with your and a loved one’s personal possessions and Grief in the Workplace: A Comprehensive Guide for Being Prepared.
She lives a healthy lifestyle in Colorado pursuing physical adventures including the Hawaiian Ironman and providing emergency medical technician (EMT) services to the community.
Listen in to our discussion about:
-
Rachel’s widow story
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Working in corporate, grieving, and soloparenting her young daughter
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Her mission to support grievers and those supporting them in the workplace
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Bereavement policies are made to be broken!
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Self-advocacy and compassion in the workplace
Links:
website: www.rachelkodanaz.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LivingWithLossOneDayAtATime
Linkedin: Rachel Kodanaz https://www.linkedin.com/in/rkodanaz/
Instagram: rkodanaz
Twitter: @rachelkodanaz
____________________________________________________________
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows. Hand-selected items to nurture the body, mind, and spirit after the loss of a spouse. Made for widows, with love, by a widow.
filledwithgold.org
Hi Filled With Gold Widow Podcast listeners! I met Debra Morrison 10 years ago and after that meeting I had a little spark of hope that changed my life and the lives of my kids.
Debra is an international transformational speaker, retired from 42-yrs. Practicing Fiduciary Financial Planning & Asset Management as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. She now serves women as a Financial Coach in her new company, Women Navigating Finances.
After giving pro bono financial planning and asset management service to 8 widows, 1 widow and a 12-yr old orphan after the 9/11 tragedy, Debra obtained her Grief Coach Certification. She dovetailed financial and grief recovery coaching into her Amazon best selling book, My Husband Died Now What? A Widow’s Guide to Grief Recovery & Smart Financial Decisions.
She coaches women to be intentional about living and smelling the flowers, knowing first-hand that life is not a dress rehearsal. Listen in to our lively discussion about:
-
Processing emotions and reasoning
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Living in the land of possibility
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Making mistakes and recovering from them
-
“What Next?!” to “What’s next?”
-
Putting energy towards the future
"When we pay attention to our money…it pays us back.” - Debra Morrison
Links:
Free Gift - My Husband Died, Now What?
https://womennavigatingfinances.com/widows/
Debra Morrison TEDx talk - Feel The Financial Fear & Do It Anyway:
www.DebrasTEDxTalk.com
Widow Empowerment by Debra L Morrison: https://www.facebook.com/groups/811657682236461
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debralmorrison/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debralmorrison/
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows. filledwithgold.org
Free Self-Care Support Guide for Widows filledwithgold.org/widow_self-care_support_guide
Paula Harris and I covered a lot of ground this week on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
Paula is part-financial-advisor and part-dream-architect, who takes great pride in helping her clients, particularly widowed women, obtain financial peace of mind while they get back on their feet, rise up and navigate their path forward. Paula is an engaging speaker and author of “Rise Up: A Widow’s Journal”. She enjoys assisting people in the life planning that goes hand-in-hand with financial planning and is the creator of Rise Up Success Training and Retreats.
Listen in as we talk about:
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Supporting widows with their finances
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The inspiration for publishing the Rise Up Widow’s Journal
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All the free resources available to widows on her website
-
Wisdom Wednesdays
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Do fish clap?
Links:
https://twitter.com/WHCornerstone
https://www.linkedin.com/company/wh-cornerstone-investments/
https://www.facebook.com/WHCornerstone
https://www.instagram.com/whcornerstone/
https://twitter.com/PaulaHarris
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulaharris/
https://www.instagram.com/wisezena/
Wisdom Wednesday | Paula’s ponderings, positivity, prayer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-eZuCUQOPHJBCX-n_M9nNQ
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows. filledwithgold.org
Free Self-Care Support Guide for Widows filledwithgold.org/widow_self-care_support_guide
I had a great conversation with Amanda Ferrat this week on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast!
Amanda is the founder of Value Yourself Counseling, a certified emotional wellness counselor, Advanced EFT Practitioner, and professional speaker.
She uses her education, experience, skills, intuition, and passion to help other women make peace with their past, fall in love with their present, and get excited about their future. Amanda believes all women navigate difficulties and barriers in their lives and deserve to find safer, braver spaces that empower them to discover and embody their inner badass selves and live life in alignment with their core values and needs, free from guilt and shame.
Amanda shares how Emotional Freedom Technique EFT tapping can be a beautiful tool for honoring and moving through our emotions & for processing and honoring grief.
EFT tapping also helps with rewriting old stories and patterns as well as supporting you in manifesting your future. Listen in!
Links:
https://campsite.bio/vyc
https://instagram.com/valueyourselfcounseling
https://petastapleton.com/the-science-behind-tapping/
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows. filledwithgold.org
Free Self-Care Support Guide for Widows filledwithgold.org/widow_self-care_support_guide
On this week’s Filled With Gold Widow Podcast, we’re chatting with Krista St-Germain. Krista is a Master Certified Life Coach, grief expert, widow, mom and host of The Widowed Mom Podcast. When her husband was killed by a drunk driver in 2016, Krista’s life was completely and unexpectedly flipped upside down. After therapy helped her uncurl from the fetal position, Krista discovered Life Coaching, Post Traumatic Growth and learned the tools she needed to move forward and create a future she could get excited about. Now she coaches and teaches other widows so they can love life again, too.
Listen in as we talk about:
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Feeling stuck - when you know more is possible, but you don’t know how to do it
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Coaching widowed moms through the grief plateau
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Making space for the good to come through
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Post-traumatic growth
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Using EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) tapping in her coaching practice
Links:
https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/
https://www.facebook.com/coachingwithkrista/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-widowed-mom-podcast/id1468127632
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows filledwithgold.org
Free Self-Care Support Guide for Widows
filledwithgold.org/widow_self-care_support_guide
This week's Filled With Gold Widow Podcast guest is Emma Payne. Emma is the Founder & CEO of Grief Coach. Grief Coach combines Emma's passion for mobile technology and engagement, with her deep commitment to giving people the confidence and tools they need to support each other through grief. She knows that, while nothing makes grief go away, supporting someone through loss is powerful and transformative for the supporter, and alters the trajectory for the grieving person too.
Listen in as we talk about:
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Emma’s inspiration on combining tech with grief
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Creating a thoughtful and practical gift for grievers
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How Grief.Coach coaches those in grief and their supporters
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What Emma does to take care of herself
-
Good advice to grief supporters
If you would like personalized caring support from Grief Coach, please check out grief.coach/filledwithgold for $10 off a full year of grief support - because no one should grieve alone.
Instagram: @grief.coach
Twitter: mygriefcoach
Facebook: mygriefcoach
Linkedin: griefcoach
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care support box for widows. filledwithgold.org
Our guest this week on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast is Bevin Farrand. In 2019, after unexpectedly losing her husband, Mark, 5 days after they returned from a whirlwind trip to France, Bevin founded the Take the DAMN Trip movement. Her DAMN framework has inspired hundreds to connect with the people that they love, do the “crazy thing” that makes all the difference and, when given a choice, to take the damn trip. Additionally, she is a business strategist and coach who supports small businesses and entrepreneurs in developing and executing strategies to take their revenue to 6- and 7-figures.
Bevin is passionate about sharing this message with the world, bringing real-life stories of inspirational people who have taken the leap and done the “crazy” thing that makes all the difference in their lives. And supporting YOU to do the same.
Bevin’s most recent “trip” is deciding to Have the DAMN Baby! She and Mark were about 60 days away from starting IVF to have their third kiddo. In 2020, Bevin decided to move forward with IVF with the embryos they had frozen. She recently gave birth to a beautiful little girl who joined their 4 year old daughter and 2 year old son to make the family complete.
Listen in as Bevin and I talk about:
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The best advice she got from her dad
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Her whirlwind romance with Mark
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Applying the DAMN Framework to her life after Mark’s death
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Bringing her big, bold, “crazy” dreams to life with the DAMN Framework:
D - Decide and Declare
A - Attend Your Own Party
M - Meaningful Moments (moments, not minutes)
N - Now is the Time!
“We’re not promised tomorrow. Take the DAMN trip!”
- Bevin Farrand
WEBSITE: www.takethedamntrip.com
FACEBOOK GROUP:www.facebook.com/groups/takethedamntrip
INSTAGRAM: @bevinfarrand
Free Guided Meditation: www.collaborate.work/just-one-damn-minute-opt-in
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care supoprt box for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
What happens when two widow podcasters get together? You’ll find out on this week’s Filled With Gold Widow Podcast as I talk with Jen Zwinck of Widow 180!
Jen Zwinck is the founder and host of Widow 180: The Podcast and Widow 180: The Channel.
In 2011, her husband was walking home from a bachelor party when he was attacked, robbed, and killed. Jen instantly became a young widow, left to raise their two-year-old daughter alone.
Overcome with grief and anxiety over the loss, Jen chose her own unique path to heal. She packed 4 suitcases and moved with her daughter to a tiny island in the Caribbean where she knew no one. The years she spent on the island gave her the time to process the loss and rebuild her own strength and courage to move forward.
Jen believes that every widow has the capacity to endure, the power to overcome, and the determination to create a new life with meaning and purpose.
That’s how Widow 180: The Podcast came to be. It’s a show about turning tragedy, loss, and fear into strength, creativity, and a new passion for life. Each week a different widow is interviewed to share her story of loss, how she coped, and how she has taken the lessons she’s learned and used them to transform and grow.
Jen’s mission through the podcast, the YouTube Channel, blog posts, coaching and speaking is to arm other widows with powerful stories of transformation and knowledge so that they can navigate life after loss.
Her newest online program is called Dating After Loss: A 4 Step WISH Program For Widows And Widowers Looking to Find Love Again. She helps widows and widowers overcome the overwhelm of getting back into the dating scene after losing their spouse!
Jen remarried in 2017. She and her husband Doug welcomed a new baby girl, Penelope, in 2018. They are enjoying a fun and crazy life as a family of four, in a new house in South Louisiana!
“Widowed moms...we figure out how to make things happen (for our kids).”
-Jen Zwinck
www.widow180.com
https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927
Dating After Loss: A 4 Step Program For Widows & Widowers Looking To Find Love Again
www.widow180.com/courses
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care support boxes for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
Are you ready to “tune” yourself towards joy? On this week’s Filled With Gold Widow Podcast, I talk with Carole Marie Downing who is a heart-centered coach, songleader, and facilitator passionate about creating resilience through challenging times.
She holds a Nursing Doctorate from the University of Colorado and as a nurse provided care in the areas of hospice, integrative medicine, and nursing education. She transitioned to coaching after receiving a Master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology with an emphasis in Consciousness, Health, and Healing.
She uses both her professional background and personal experience to gently support clients to thrive again after loss and major life transitions. As a community songleader and music guide, she integrates singing into her work and supports both individuals and groups to utilize the transformational and healing aspects of song.
Carole lives in Portland, Oregon and loves hot cups of tea, making music, going barefoot in the sand, and spending time outdoors with her son and their dog, Alta.
Listen in as Carole and I chat about:
✓ experiencing love at first sight in Alaska with her husband, Michael
✓ Michael’s colon cancer diagnosis
✓ the rawness, anxiety & vulnerability of grieving her husband’s death
✓ listening to that little voice telling her to sing, play guitar & ukulele
✓ is it possible to play a sad song on the ukulele and not feel uplifted?
✓ the jungle trip that shifted her from overwhelm to hope
✓ writing her book, Singing Beyond Sorry, from inside her grief
I was scared, overwhelmed, anxious, and unsure. But my son was ahead of me, flying through the jungle, and I had no choice but to leave the ground behind and step into the air below. Turns out I flew.
-Carole Marie Downing
Join Carole in a virtual community song circle simply for the joy of singing! All voices welcome! 1st Sunday of the month, 6:30 Pacific Time
Website: https://www.tunetojoy.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TunetoJoy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tunetojoymusic/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carole-marie-downing-a03b8538/
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care support boxes for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
On this episode of the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast, we sit down with Lysandra Vander Hart. Lysandra is a widow, holistic dietitian, and mother of two little girls who have fueled her quest for a safe home environment for her family and everyone she meets. As her young family has been forever touched by cancer and with more than 80,000 new chemicals introduced since WWII - only 200 of which have been tested on humans and approximately 11 banned in the US - she is grateful to be able to share simple solutions to stock homes with safe products and is passionate about sharing ways to live more holistically with family, friends and new people!
Lysandra highly values education with a Holistic Health Certificate, two Graduate Degrees, and maintaining her Dietitian Credential - the more we know, the better we can do! Everyone deserves access to the facts in order to make informed decisions for their families. Her goal is to be a clean-living resource and advocate to help others realize that they can make a difference in their own environments and it all starts at home.
Listen in as we talk about:
✓ Lysandra becoming a young widow in her 30’s with 2 babies after the death of her husband from colon cancer
✓ Creating her Safe Cancer Totes out of necessity
✓ Her self-care practice of sweating, grieving & crying in hot yoga
✓ Jack Johnson on the grief soundtrack
“It’s hard...and there’s no need to put up a front. There’s no need to hold back tears.”
- Lysandra Vander Hart
Website: http://www.cleanlivinginfo.com
FB: facebook.com/wellnessdietitian
IG: @lysandra_hart
Email: cleanlivingcontact@gmail.com
Website: lysandravanderhart.norwex.biz
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
This week we chat with Sheila Hoover on the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast! Sheila has a Ph.D. in Adult Education and 20 years of experience in academia as an education specialist making information accessible in creative and engaging ways. She wrote the book "Helping Through Heartache: An Easy Guide to Supporting Anyone Who is Grieving" in the years after the death of her husband. After experiencing what she describes as a confusing mashup of people's reactions, she realized that many people have no idea how to help someone who is profoundly grieving.
Given her background in education, she set out to write an informative and user-friendly guide. Unlike most grief resources that focus on the bereaved, this book was written for those who are helping the bereaved. This book is also unique because it's intended to be fun to read - it pairs each tip with a cat cartoon, featuring the Sad Cat as the grieving person, and their Cat friends.
The content in the book is based on Sheila's own research, connections with others who have experienced profound loss, support groups & organizations, and direct experience in the aftermath of losing her husband, parents, and close friends. She has also trained as an end-of-life doula.
Listen in as we talk about:
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The sudden (and not so sudden) death of her husband, Wes, in 2017
-
Happy therapy
-
Sheila’s book for grief supporters (Yes!!)
-
Sad Cat & Cat Friend cartoons can make it all better
-
Our Widow Radar - instantly understanding other widows
“(I knew) Wes would want me to be happy...so that helped keep me in the game.”
- Sheila Hoover
Get Sheila’s book "Helping Through Heartache: An Easy Guide to Supporting Anyone Who is Grieving" on Amazon.
Website: helpingthroughheartache.com
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
Are you thinking about dipping your toe into the dating pool? Well, never fear - Barbara Kenyon is here to help! Finding true love again after being widowed can be really scary business. Barbara Kenyon knows a thing or two about that. After being married for nine years to the love of her life, and four months after the birth of their first child, Barbara's husband died from pancreatic cancer.
Five years after being widowed, Barbara married the new love of her life. And, for the last 25+ years she has been joyfully helping widows gain great clarity about what they REALLY want for their life, learn how to love themselves first, and discover how to find a new relationship where they will feel understood, valued, special, safe, and loved. Barbara does this through zoom presentations, workshops, and individual coaching.
And on this week’s episode of the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast, we talk about:
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Being the CEO of your own Universe!
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The steps of her dating process (we got through a few!)
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Creating the life you really want to have
-
Getting to a place of confidence in dating
“If every morning you get up and reboot the hard drive of your brain and remind yourself of all the gifts that you possess and all the beauty that’s inside you...it’s not a bad life.”
- Barbara Kenyon
Schedule your FREE Breakthrough Call with Barbara at (352) 633-1377, by email at Barbara@Kenyoncoaching.com.
Website: www.WidowsDatingCoach.com
Facebook: widowsdatingcoach
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows. Listeners get the following discounts plus FREE shipping - use coupon code:
- PODCAST25 for $25 off your 3-month subscription
- PODCAST50 for $50 off your 6-month subscription
- PODCAST100 for $100 off your 12-month subscription
www.filledwithgold.org
Free Self-Care Support Guide for Widows https://www.filledwithgold.org/widow_self-care_support_guide
Did you ever wish you had a guide to support and help you through “all things widow”? Well, Kim Murray wrote it!
Kim Murray is the creator of the popular website Widow 411, which offers information and resources on topics like grief, finances, relationships, and self-care for widows on a quest to make widowhood suck a little less. Kim also created the online course, The Ultimate Survival Guide for Widows, with detailed instructions, worksheets and checklists to help widows tackle the crushing list of to-do’s after their spouse dies.
And on this week’s episode of the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast, we talk about:
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Dealing with her husband Mark’s diagnosis of terminal brain cancer and his death in 2014
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The overwhelm of caregiving, solo-parenting, taking over Mark’s business and literally running away from grief
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How Kim made herself move through grief after it caught up with her
-
Healing through serving others with Widow 411
“It’s OK to be sad, it sounds simple...and it’s anything but.”
- Kim Murray
Website: www.widow411.com
Use code GOLD20 to take 20% off The Ultimate Survival Guide For Widows online course or anything else in the Widow 411 store!
Instagram: www.instagram.com/widow411/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/widow411
Medium: medium.com/@widow411
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/widow411/
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
On this week’s episode of the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast, Melissa interviews Jenny Lisk. Jenny is a bestselling author and widowed mom who is dedicated to helping widowed parents increase their family's well-being.
In her book, Future Widow, Jenny draws on her personal and professional experience to provide a real-life guide for surviving and thriving while raising grieving children.
Her show, The Widowed Parent Podcast, draws on over 100 interviews with experts, seasoned widowed parents, and people who lost a parent at a young age. It brings much-needed resources to widowed parents, helping them feel less lost and alone.
In this episode, Jenny shares about:
-Learning to advocate for her husband, Dennis, as he is living with glioblastoma
-Her life as Dennis’ caregiver for 8 months, then eventual widow parenthood
-CaringBridge (blog for medical journeys) and its role in Jenny’s award-winning book, Future Widow
-Jenny’s self-care practices and suggestions to support widows with moving forward
-Another book might be in the works!
“The book didn’t end when he died, because that’s not the end of my story.”
- Jenny Lisk
Web site: jennylisk.com or widowedparentpodcast.com
Future Widow: Losing My Husband, Saving My Family, and Finding My Voice: futurewidowbook.com
Instagram: @liskjenny
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liskjenny
Links
Camp Widow
https://campwidow.org/
CaringBridge
https://www.caringbridge.org
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
Special guest, Rob Kenney, joins the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast! Rob started his “Dad, How Do I?” YouTube channel in April 2020. He thought he would help 30 or 40 people learn some basic skills. A month and a half later his channel went viral and quickly grew to over 1 million subscribers. Now, a year later, he has over 3 million subscribers watching his wholesome “how to” videos.
Such a fantastic resource for those widows who are solo parenting out there so listen in as Rob and I talk about:
-
Rob’s dad leaving the family when he was 14 and being raised by his older brother
-
His “Dad, How Do I?” YouTube channel grew out of Rob’s desire to be a good dad to his kids
-
How these videos can bring up the emotions of grieving the person who is no longer there
-
Rob’s self-care formula (T-A-K-E):
be TRUE to yourself
don’t get AHEAD of yourself
be KIND to yourself
ENJOY the ride
-
Creating his book Dad, How Do I? Practical “Dadvice” for Everyday Tasks and Successful Living
-
Wrapping it up with a couple of dad jokes!
Links
www.harpercollins.com/products/dad-how-do-i
https://www.instagram.com/dadhowdoi/?hl=en
https://www.youtube.com/dadhowdoi
https://www.facebook.com/dadhowdoi/
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
Linda Shanti McCabe and I had a very heartfelt and hopeful conversation about our widow and solo-parenting experiences. Linda is a licensed clinical psychologist, recovery coach, artist, author, imperfect mom, widow and person travelling with grief. She has been passionate about helping women recover from eating disorders for the past 20 years, and now, helping grievers move forward.
Listen in and find out about:
-What’s up with the long list of Disney movies where the parent dies?!
-Linda’s self-care practices = art, movement (it’s easier to cry when moving!), music, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) tapping
-Discovering who you are now and being who you are
-Letting go of WOPT (What Other People Think)!
-Helpful authors and books (see links below)
“It doesn’t matter what you do with your ring or with any item that connects you with your loved one other than what you decide to do. Follow your inner guidance.”
- Linda Shanti McCabe
Links
www.DrLindaShanti.com
Book:
https://www.drlindashanti.com/recovery-book
Instagram: @griefandart
https://www.instagram.com/griefandart/?hl=en
FB: "Recoverymama"
https://www.facebook.com/recoverymama/?ref=bookmarks
Carole Brody Fleet:
www.widowswearstilettos.com/
David Kessler:
www.grief.com
Nora McInerny:
www.hotyoungwidowsclub.com
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
Autumn Toelle-Jackson is the award-winning author of Boldly into the Darkness: Living with Loss, Growing with Grief & Holding onto Happiness. She has lived a life of love and loss, filled with happiness and marked by tragedy.
Labels are too simple, but they do have meaning and they do tell part of her story: wife, widow, mother, survivor. The loss of a husband, a beloved cousin and mentor, her daughter, and miscarriages have left scars on her soul and memorial tattoos on her body, but Autumn learned to grow through it all. She found love and reasons to get up each day until those days strung into weeks, then months, then years. Autumn and her family created Growing with Grief to provide those who are grieving with a place to find community, resources, and help.
In this episode we cover:
- The death of Autumn’s husband, Joe, of unknown natural causes at the age of 30.
- Autumn became a young widow overnight with a 2 week old and almost 3 year old
- She gained clarity and confidence working with a transformative coach
- That first laugh after the death of your spouse - so strange…
- Marrying her friend & love, Kyle
- Autumn’s grief experience after Joe’s death helped her process the death of her & Kyle’s baby, Riley
- Kintsugi - taking something shattered and fusing your soul & heart back together into something beautiful and loved
“Rather than spending weeks and months exhausting yourself and running from emotions, when you feel them you sit with them and let them happen. You’ll have a lot more energy...and room to breathe.”
-Autumn Toelle-Jackson
Links:
www.Growingwithgrief.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrowingWithGrief
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growingwithgrief/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/growwithgrief
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
Follow Melissa & all things Filled With Gold Widow on Instagram and Facebook!
On this episode of the Filled With Gold Widow Podcast I get to sit down and chat with Mel Shore! Mel is a woman and widow of many talents! She is a professional pianist, producer, and composer, a young widow, co-creator of the podcast, Widow We Do Now? & The Widow Wives Club online support group, and is creator of the Drömkatt healing music YouTube channel, specifically customized for grievers.
Mel is also a certified life coach, dog agility enthusiast, and black diamond skier, and her passions include helping others gain confidence to fulfill their highest potential.
We covered a lot of ground in this episode, like:
-
How Mel & Scott met (pianist + theater director = “this feels like home”)
-
Scott’s death almost 2 years after they married
-
Gigging with Chuck Berry
-
Trauma, PTSD, ADHD, traumatic brain injuries
-
Widow stuff is hard!
-
Mel’s self-care practices (which might include bathtub nachos!)
-
What’s next for Mel?
“Now that I know I have PTSD and I have this trauma...I should be able to catch it and nip it in the bud, but I know that’s not true. I know I have to do the thought work to not judge it.”
- Mel Shore
Links
IG: @melanieshoremusic
FB: www.facebook.com/melanieshoremusic
Youtube (Mel’s jazz piano channel): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF0NQ2Ej8bthJvSa-4jp3OA
Youtube (Drömkatt healing music): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL1WrSiQGVw2qavRi_7BlQA
Widow We Do Now? Podcast & Widow Wives Club
https://widowwedonow.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/widowwivesclub/
Tillamook Cheese Factory
https://www.tillamook.com/
What Happened To You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing (Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.)
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250223210
https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
Follow Melissa & all things Filled With Gold Widow on Instagram and Facebook!
On this episode I chat with Carrie Benedict Foley who is a widow, a mom of 5 children and a licensed funeral director. Carrie represents the sixth generation of Benedicts in funeral service. Her family owns Westchester Funeral Home in Eastchester, NY. Carrie’s husband Danny died on February 22, 2020 after a 1 year battle with 9/11 related pancreatic cancer. He was a firefighter with FDNY and worked many months on “the pile” at Ground Zero. Listen in as Carrie and I cover a lot of ground together. Listen in and find out about:
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How Carrie & Danny met - the exchange of pager numbers, their love of country music
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Danny and his brother Tommy were NY firefighters on 9/11
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Danny’s physical and emotional trauma from working at Ground Zero
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Carrie’s incredibly unique perspective as a widow and a funeral director
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Gilda’s Club was a huge help to Carrie & her kids - supports families with a cancer diagnosis/death
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The chaos of grieving, working, parenting during Covid & delayed grieving after the quarantine
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Self-care in widowhood = yoga, wine, cheese & tennis (not all at the same time though)
“Accept the help. If someone is offering you help, take the help.”
- Carrie Foley
Links
instagram: carriefoley6
facebook: Carrie Benedict Foley
twitter: @CarrieBFoley6
LinkedIn: Carrie Foley
www.westchesterfuneralhome.com
Instagram: westchesterfuneralhome
Facebook: Westchester Funeral Home, Inc.
https://gildasclubnyc.org
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
Follow Melissa & all things Filled With Gold Widow on Instagram and Facebook!
Welcome to the Filled With Gold - Widow Podcast! This show puts you in touch with expert resources to support you in moving forward after the death of your spouse and life partner.
In this episode, Melissa shares:
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her story of widowhood
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how she chose the funky theme music for the podcast
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what "Filled With Gold" means
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self-care tips
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why you'll want to tune in each week!
Melissa and her guests are here for you every other Thursday to share their stories, advice, and wisdom to help widows move toward a life they can thrive in.
Take care of yourself and thanks for listening.
Links
www.filledwithgold.org
This episode is brought to you by:
Filled With Gold monthly self-care subscription box for widows.
www.filledwithgold.org
Follow Melissa & all things Filled With Gold Widow on Instagram and Facebook!