The Widow Podcast

In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Mary-Frances O’Connor, neuroscientist, psychologist, and author of The Grieving Brain and The Grieving Body. Mary-Frances has spent her career researching what happens to our minds and bodies when we lose someone we love. Her work helps us understand why grief feels the way it does, how our brains adapt, and why love and loss are so deeply intertwined. This conversation is full of insight, science, and compassion. We explore what happens in the brain during grief, why waves of grief come and go, and how we can continue our bond with those who have died. Mary-Frances also shares why resilience is the most common response to loss, and why grief is less about “moving on” and more about learning to live with love in a different way. In this episode we talk about: Why grieving is best understood as a form of learning How the brain and body adjust when someone we love dies The difference between grief (in the moment) and grieving (the ongoing process) Why the second year of grief can sometimes feel harder than the first The importance of internal bonds and how they continue after physical loss What research shows about resilience, prolonged grief, and healing How grief journeys differ with sudden loss compared to after long-term caregiving Practical ways we can support ourselves, and each other, through grief Explore Mary-Frances O’Connor’s books: The Grieving Brain by Mary-Frances O'Connor | Waterstones The Grieving Body by Mary-Frances O'Connor | Waterstones I’d love you to join me for Awakening Hope — a free five-day experience. Find out more at: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/awakeninghope For Further Support: The Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Coaching and retreats: karensutton.co.uk Mary-Frances O’Connor – Photo credit: Eric Godoy

In this episode of The Widow Podcast, I talk with author and campaigner Laurence Carter about his powerful journey through grief after losing his wife, Melitta, to stage 4 cervical cancer in 2015. Laurence shares their love story, Melitta's diagnosis, and the long goodbye they faced together as a family. He opens up about his year-long walk around the coast of England and Wales, a challenge that raised awareness of cervical cancer, encouraged women to attend smear tests, and helped him navigate life after loss. We discuss: Coping with the death of a spouse after a long illnessThe emotional and physical impact of griefHow walking, nature, and connection helped Laurence healStories from strangers he met along the wayWhy listening without trying to fix can be the greatest giftFinding love again after bereavement If you or someone you know has experienced the loss of a partner or wants to better understand grief recovery, this episode offers comfort, hope, and inspiration. Find out more about Laurence on his site, including where to buy copies of his wonderful book. https://laurencecarter.com For More Support: The Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Coaching and retreats: karensutton.co.uk

In this week's episode, I'm joined by Phillipa and Hazel, the brilliant duo behind Music to Die For, a beautiful project exploring how music connects us to those we've lost. Phillipa lost her husband Rob suddenly four and a half years ago. What's fascinating is that music - which had been her whole life as a musician and teacher - completely disappeared after Rob died. But it came back in the most powerful ways. Hazel, a clinical psychologist with a deep love of music, met Phillipa at a grief and music think tank. Their instant connection sparked Music to Die For, where people share stories about pieces of music that connect them to someone they've lost. This is such a beautiful conversation about how music supports us through grief and helps us stay connected to our loved ones. In this episode we explore: Resources mentioned: https://www.musictodiefor.co.uk/ For More Support: The Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Coaching and retreats: karensutton.co.uk

In this week's episode, I'm joined by Becky and Matt, a couple brave enough to share their story of finding love after loss. Becky became a widow when her husband Steve died suddenly while they were on holiday. Steve's unexpected death left Becky heartbroken but determined not to let grief define her forever. Nearly two years later, she found herself ready to explore what came next, including the possibility of love again. This episode is a lovely, thoughtful, and open conversation about the complexities of dating as a widow, and the courage it takes to open your heart again. Becky and Matt share their journey from a dating app match to moving in together, navigating everything from children's reactions to in-laws' acceptance. It's a story about resilience, hope, and the truth that love - even after devastating loss - is always worth the risk. In this episode we talk about: How Becky found her way from heartbreak to healing after Steve's sudden deathThe moment she knew she was ready to date again - and why it felt like the right timePractical wisdom about online dating as a widow, from profile tips to handling rejectionHow Matt approached dating someone who had been widowed, and what he learnedThe importance of keeping your deceased partner real - not putting them on a pedestalHow they navigated introducing children, meeting in-laws, and creating space for everyoneWhy Matt chose to move into Becky's home, and what that gesture meansHow grief and new love can coexist beautifully - "I am who I am because of Steve"The gift of experiencing two great loves in one lifetime Resources and Links Join the Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Explore my retreats and coaching: karensutton.co.uk

What does living fully again really look like after loss? This week, I’m joined by someone really special. Lynne Atkin MBE is part of our community, and from the start, I was genuinely amazed by how she was navigating her grief. Not long after the first year of her widowhood, Lynne was making remarkable progress, showing up with strength, clarity and real purpose. And I remember thinking, how is she doing that? Over time, I saw it wasn’t a fluke. Lynne kept showing up. She kept leaning into the process and doing the work, with such openness and intention. And she’s built something powerful: a life that holds both her love for Michael and her hope for what comes next. In this conversation, Lynne shares what helped her move through the early pain and start building something new. It’s a reminder that healing doesn’t mean forgetting. It means learning how to live fully again. In this episode, we talk about: Rebuilding identity after a long marriage What helped Lynne feel safe in her grief Making peace with guilt and giving yourself permission to live Creating a vision for your future when everything has changed How community and coaching helped her move forward Whether you’re newly widowed or further along, this is a powerful story of resilience, growth and hope. It’s one I know will stay with you. Resources and links: Join the Widow Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Explore retreats and coaching: karensutton.co.uk

In this special episode of The Widow Podcast, I’m sharing something really close to my heart. Earlier this year, I invited three amazing women, Nikki, Becky and Wendy, into the Remember community to share their stories. Stories of love, of loss, of navigating life after the unthinkable. They spoke with such honesty and vulnerability, and it was one of the most powerful sessions we’ve had. I knew straight away I wanted more people to hear it. What I love about this conversation is how different each of their experiences have been. It show us how there’s no right way to grieve, and hearing those contrasts side by side really brings that home. They talk about what helped, what didn’t, the pain of parenting through grief, the shifts in friendships, the moments that caught them off guard, and the ways they’re slowly creating a new version of life. In this episode, we explore: • The very real, very messy early days of widowhood • How grief affects identity and friendships • The fear of forgetting and the ways we stay connected • The little things that help, and the things that really don’t • What it looks like to build a life around your loss • Giving yourself permission to feel joy, without guilt Resources and Links Join the Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Explore my retreats and coaching: karensutton.co.uk

How I’ve Found Peace, Purpose and Possibility After Loss – And How You Can Too Welcome back to Season Four of The Widow Podcast. It feels really good to be back. Nearly nine years since Simon died, I’ve been reflecting on everything that’s changed, not just in my own life, but in the way I support other widows. Over the past year, I’ve gone through some huge shifts. I trained as a Master Intuitive Psychology Coach, ran retreats here in the UK and in the US, and launched a new programme called Vibrant Living, which is all about what comes next. This episode is a bit of a catch-up, but also a conversation about growth. The kind that happens quietly, over time, as we keep showing up for ourselves. I’ll talk honestly about where I’ve been, how I’ve changed, and what I’ve learned about creating a life that feels full again, not in spite of the grief, but alongside it. In this episode, I share: What’s changed for me since the last season How I think about grief now, and what peace looks like The power of community when you’re rebuilding after loss What led me to retrain and deepen the work I do Why I created Vibrant Living for widows ready for something more Resources and Links Join the Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Explore my retreats and coaching: karensutton.co.uk

In this week's episode I speak to an incredibly honest and inspiring lady, Stacey Macdonald. Stacey’s husband Chris died suddenly in December 2013 from a heart attack when their daughter was only 12 years old. Stacey shares her journey of loss and how she navigated her way through her grief in her own unique way, a way in which we could all learn a lot from. We discuss; This really is such a wonderful conversation and I know you’ll be able to draw so much from this. We got unexpectedly cut off at the end (the joys of living on a small island), so there is an abrupt finish to the conversation. We contemplated arranging another time to record an ending but I actually felt that Stacey’s final words of wisdom were so beautiful, it felt like the perfect end to a wonderful conversation, so we left it as it was.

There is a powerful connection between grief and the physical response that can occur within our body. In fact, grief can show up in a variety of ways in our body. Our body is communicating too us and in this episode we explore the impact of grief on our immune system and how to alleviate physical symptoms through self-care practices. Listen as I talk about: Resources: Join my Free Facebook Group ‘Widowed and Rising’ https://www.facebook.com/groups/widowedandrising My website https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

This podcast is from last September. However, with more anniversaries, birthdays and holidays arising, I wanted to share it with you again. These are often huge triggers for us in our grief leaving us unsure of what we should do to mark the occasion and how we can best support ourselves through them. In this episode I talk about things you can do to honour your loved one, ways you can nurture your own needs and how our grief evolves over time. It is a journey and we will all travel it at different paces and in different ways, there is no right or wrong, it's just finding the way that works best for you and being ok with that. As hard as these days are it's important not to think of them as setbacks, but as an invitation to connect with our loved one, remember them and celebrate their life, eventually we will be able to do this with more love than pain. Resources: Join The Widows Membership: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

How do we begin to build resilience after experiencing the loss of our loved one? Karen shares her ABC's of resilience and the importance of finding hope and purpose in widowhood. We’ll explore how to begin to bounce back and adapt when we are coping with grief. Listen as I talk about: Resources: Join The Widows Membership: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

Listen once again to this special 100th episode of The Widow podcast, listen to other Widows share their story about love, grief and how they move forward with life after loss. Grief truly is not a problem that can be fixed. Instead it is something we learn to live alongside. What becomes important is how we learn to face the journey through our mindset. Listen as widows share: Resources: Join The Widows Membership: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

Glimmers, tiny micro moments of joy that offer a sense of calm and inner peace. Did you know that glimmers can be a powerful source of support in your grieving journey? Join me as I explore what glimmers are, why they matter, and how they can help you navigate through grief. We will be taking time to notice and appreciate the glimmers as part of your path to healing. Listen as I talk about: Resources: Join The Widows Membership: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

How do we find joy after the loss of our person? Debbie Weiss, a former lawyer & author shares her experience through grief after the loss of her husband, George. Debbie turned to writing with essays published in The New York Times’ “Modern Love” column, HuffPost, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, Elle Decor, and Reader’s Digest. Debbie has also taken her journey through grief and written the book, Available As Is, which is a memoir about searching for love after loss and finding yourself. Listen as we talk about: Learn more about Debbie Weiss: Website: Debbie Weiss Author Facebook: Debbie Weiss Instagram: Debbie Weiss Author LinkedIn: Debbie Weiss Writer Resources: Join The Widows Membership: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

Have you ever wondered how to find hope again and the resilience to carry on after experiencing a profound loss? Pete Cohen is an expert in human behaviour and performance, business consultant, coach, motivational speaker and the founder of Mi365. Pete has dedicated his life to helping others discover their true passions, living life intentionally and become the best versions of themselves. The author of 20 published books, the Host of the Mi365 Daily Intentions podcast, the resident and life coach on GM TV for 12 years and the coach to numerous world-class sporting stars and teams, Pete has helped inspired and empowered so many people to live their lives with purpose and meaning. Pete also recently lost his wife, Hannah who had been diagnosed with a brain tumour and given 18 months to live. When she passed Pete went on his own journey to find inner strength and resilience. Listen as we talk about: Resources: Join The Widows Membership: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

How do we begin to build resilience after experiencing the loss of our loved one? Karen shares her ABC's of resilience and the importance of finding hope and purpose in widowhood. We’ll explore how to begin to bounce back and adapt when we are coping with grief. Listen as I talk about: Resources: Join The Widows Membership: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

In today’s episode I speak with Stacy Francis, the President and CEO of Francis Financial, who helps women in transition through widowhood. She is a certified grief coach and is talking to us about the financial implications of widowhood. Stacy also shares her own experience with loss and how it has impacted her to help others. Listen as we discuss: Resources: Stacy Francis: www.FrancisFinancial.com Twitter: @FrancisFinance Francis Financial’s Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/FrancisFinancialInc/ Francis Financial’s 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: https://francisfinancial.com/financial-help-for-widows/

This week I am talking to the wonderful Julie New. Julie is an experienced personal recovery coach specialising in helping people after difficult and sometimes traumatic life change. Prior to starting her coaching Julie spent 20 years in the NHS as a senior nurse and midwife, she also worked on various pioneering NHS community projects. Since becoming a professional coach in 2006 she has developed a unique New Chapter recovery program which has helped many people to reach new fulfilling phases in their lives, which they hadn’t thought possible. Julie is an author of popular unique personal growth gift books including ‘The Grief Garden path and is a well-known inspirational and motivational wellbeing conference speaker. In this episode Julie shares her own personal stories of loss, how she supported her two girls through grief towards health, healing and happiness and also shares her golden nuggets of wisdom. We discuss anger, widowhood, rebuilding and finding glimmers of sunshine in a dark place. Julie now supports others in their own journeys of grief and helps them to create something truly meaningful after loss. ‘Change is forever, but the pain doesn’t have to be…’ Website: Julie New – Personal recovery coach Follow Julie’s journey on Instagram: Julienewpersonalrecoverycoach Join Julie on Twitter: @julienewcoach Like Julie’s Facebook page: Julie New – Personal recovery coach You are also welcome to join Julie’s private Facebook group ‘Forever Flowers’, a place for people who care for ongoing motivation, inspiration, support and understanding: https://facebook.com/groups/ForeverFlowers/?ref=share

This podcast is from September. However, I wanted to share it with you again. Coming into the new year with the thoughts of more anniversaries, birthdays and holidays arising, really makes this Podcast resonate with me. These are often huge triggers for us in our grief leaving us unsure of what we should do to mark the occasion and how we can best support ourselves through them. In this episode I talk about things you can do to honour your loved one, ways you can nurture your own needs and how our grief evolves over time. It is a journey and we will all travel it at different paces and in different ways, there is no right or wrong, it's just finding the way that works best for you and being ok with that. As hard as these days are it's important not to think of them as setbacks, but as an invitation to connect with our loved one, remember them and celebrate their life, eventually we will be able to do this with more love than pain. Resources: Join The Widows Membership: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/

Dina Gachman, Pulitzer Center Grantee and award winning journalist discovered grief when her family lost the lives of her mother and her sister. For Dina, she found comfort in putting pen to paper and in 2023 she wrote a book of essays about grief, SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. Dina shares her story of grief, love, loss and even humour as she navigated her way through the passing of two family members and how the rest of the family came together for support. Listen as we talk about: Dina Bachman: Website: https://www.dinagachmanwrites.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dgachman/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/dinagachman Resources: Join The Widows Membership: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership Website: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/