Experiencing the profound loss of a spouse while navigating the intricate realm of "only-parenting" is a challenge unlike any other. Remember, though, you’re not journeying alone. Jenny Lisk, who stepped into solo parenting following the devastating loss of her husband to brain cancer, established the Widowed Parent Institute to shine a light, extend a hand, and share vital resources. The Widowed Parent Podcast embodies that commitment, providing a mix of hope, practical wisdom, and shared e ...
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I had such a great discussion with Lisa Keefauver for this episode. You may know Lisa from her popular podcast, Grief is a Sneaky Bitch, and now she has a brand new book out by the same name. In this episode, we talk all about ambiguous losses, disenfranchised grief, how the three most important rules of scuba diving also apply to life—and, of cour…
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Ryane Moates Empowers Widows with Home Care & Repair Videos
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I had such a great discussion with Ryane Moates for this episode. I love what Ryane is doing with her YouTube channel, Ryane to the Rescue, where she educates on all things home repair, yard care, and more that widowed people find themselves responsible for after the death of their partners. Ryane herself felt so empowered after she started learnin…
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Jordan Arogeti Has a New Tool for Supporting Grievers
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I had such a great discussion with Jordan Arogeti for this episode. Jordan and her company have a new tool called Support Now. It’s a bit like a mashup of some tools you may be familiar with, such as CaringBridge, Go Fund Me, and online meal trains. But it’s SO much more than that. In preparing to speak with Jordan, I had an “Ah-Ha!” moment: Suppor…
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Dr. Linda Shanti McCabe on the Art of Grief
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I had such a great discussion with Dr. Linda Shanti McCabe for this episode. We haven’t tackled the topic of art and how it can help with grief on the show before, so I was excited to talk with Linda about that as well as her program called the Art of Grief which is starting soon. Linda is a widowed parent herself, and she’s also a licensed clinica…
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Child Life Specialist Jessica Correnti on Supporting Our Grieving Children
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I had such a great discussion with child life specialist Jessica Correnti this week on the Widowed Parent Podcast. Jessica is the founder of a practice called Kids Grief Support. She is also the author of two picture books for young grievers, including her newest, The ABCs of Grief, which will be available in February 2024. In this discussion we di…
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Dr. Katie Davis on Digital Media’s Role in Growing Up Today
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I had such a great discussion with Dr. Katie Davis for this episode. This week we tackle a thorny parenting topic: screens. The pandemic period of online school, work, play dates, happy hours, fitness classes, therapy sessions, music lessons, and so much more has taught us that asking whether screens and screen time are “good” or “bad” are not nece…
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Joanne Harpel’s New Film: Real Teens Talk About Their Suicide Losses
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Today’s discussion is such an important one. For families who have been touched by suicide losses, for sure – and also for any parents of grieving teens from any death losses. Joanne tells us today about her new film, “Talking Out Loud - Teens & Suicide Loss: A Conversation.” I’ve seen it, and I have to say it’s such a privilege to hear directly fr…
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I can’t think of a better way to kick off Children’s Grief Awareness Month than to share my recent discussion with Laurel Braitman, author of the new memoir What Looks Like Bravery. Longtime listeners will recall that I’ve often mentioned what a privilege it is to speak with grown-up grieving kids, and to hear firsthand their experiences and reflec…
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Azurae Johnson Redmond of Young, Black & Widowed Reflects on Widowed Parenting
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I had such a great discussion with Azurae Johnson Redmond for this episode. Azurae is the founder of Young, Black & Widowed Inc and she is also the foreword writer for my new book, out this week: "Widowed Parents Unite: 52 Tips to Get Through the First Year, from One Widowed Parent to Another." I’m thrilled that Azurae and so many other contributin…
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Mae Yoshikawa on Choosing to Let Go of the Question “WHY?”
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I had such a great discussion with Mae Yoshikawa for this episode. Mae’s boys were young when her husband died. One was 8 years old, and the other was just 5 months old. Listen in our discussion for the important question Mae asked her older son after her husband died: What if the question right now is not “Why?” This hearkens back to her own exper…
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Gina Moffa on Why "Moving On" Doesn't Mean "Letting Go"
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I had such a great discussion with Gina Moffa for this episode. Gina is a therapist specializing in grief and loss, and she has a brand-new book out this week: Moving On Doesn’t Mean Letting Go: A Modern Guide to Navigating Loss. I was honored to read an advance copy and provide an endorsement for her terrific book. Perhaps the best way I can intro…
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Phyllis Fagell on Parenting Middle Schoolers
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I had such a great discussion with Phyllis Fagell for this episode. Phyllis just released a brand new book, Middle School Superpowers: Raising Resilient Tweens in Turbulent Times. We haven’t specifically talked about middle schoolers on the show before, and I knew Phyllis would be just the right person to tackle this with. She’s a parenting author …
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Chris Buchanan Shares Her New Graphic Novel for Young Grievers
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I had such a great discussion with Chris Buchanan for this episode. Chris has written a graphic novel for grieving teens and kids – something that is unique among the grief literature. She was inspired to write this book because of a death in her community, and she brought her many years of expertise as a speech-language pathologist to the task of …
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Lynn Haraldson Reflects on Becoming a 19-Year-Old Widowed Parent
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I had such a great discussion with Lynn Haraldson for this episode. She was widowed 40 years ago, at the age of 19—with an 11-day-old baby at home. I especially appreciated the longer lens she brings to the experience of being a widowed parent. Her journey has included many twists and turns, and she reflects on it all in her new memoir, An Obesity …
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Hey ChatGPT, Can You Recommend Some Resources for Widowed Parents?
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We’re trying something a little different today. Or actually: a lot different. We’ve got our first non-human guest on the show. No, I’m not interviewing either of my dogs, Daisy and Penny, although that could get interesting. Today I’m interviewing the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT. What is ChatGPT, you ask? I asked it to describe itself bri…
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Talia Kovacs on Building Resilience in Our Kids
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I had such a great discussion with Talia Kovacs for this episode. We talked about an important topic: building resilience in our kids. Listen for Talia explaining what she means when she says resilience is learned, but it can’t be taught. It’s an important nuance that I hadn’t thought about before, and Talia explains to us what this means for us as…
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Heidi Carson Reflects on Widowed Parenting and Finding Meaning Through Rare Disease Advocacy
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I had such a great discussion with Heidi Carson for this episode. Heidi is a fellow widowed parent, and she lost her husband, Chad, when their kids were 12 and 14 due to complications related to a rare telomere disease. I so appreciate Heidi talking with us because I believe that hearing other people’s stories helps us feel so much less alone. List…
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Dr. Lisa Damour on the Emotional Lives of Teenagers
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I had such a great discussion with Dr. Lisa Damour for this episode. I always love talking with Lisa, and her books and podcast are incredible resources for parents. I frequently recommend her book Untangled to parents of teen and tween girls, and she’s got a brand new book out this week: The Emotional Lives of Teenagers. In addition to unpacking t…
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Rabbi Steve Leder on the Beauty of What Remains After a Loved One Dies
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I had such a great discussion with Rabbi Steve Leder for this episode. So great that I may just have to have him back. We talked mostly about his second-most-recent book, The Beauty of What Remains, which I found fascinating and helpful and comforting, all in one. He describes it as both a memoir and a field guide. We talked about what he’s learned…
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Whitney Kobrin on Self-Love & Self-Compassion
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I had such a great discussion with Whitney Kobrin for this episode. Whitney is herself widowed, and she really wanted to focus our discussion on giving hope to people who feel stuck. She’s a love coach, but we didn’t talk about dating or relationships—we talked about self-love and self-compassion. We also talked about the advice you may have heard …
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Drs. Elena Lister & Michael Schwartzman on Conversations with Children About Illness, Death, & Loss
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I had such a great discussion with Dr. Elena Lister and Dr. Michael Schwartzman for this episode. I’m going to keep this brief and make just one suggestion: If you’re a widowed parent, buy this book. If you know a widowed parent, buy it for them. Seriously. The stuff the authors cover is exactly the sort of stuff I was wondering about when my husba…
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Charlene Lam Believes We Are All Curators After a Loved One Dies
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I had such a great discussion with Charlene Lam for this episode. Charlene said she’d like to share with my listeners why she believes we are all curators after a loved one dies. I thought that sounded intriguing, so I invited her on the show. Little did I know I’d end up with some new items on my to-do list! We brainstormed what to do with the pil…
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Jon Lefrandt Reflects on Supporting His Six Younger Siblings After Their Dad Died
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I had such a great discussion with Jon Lefrandt for this episode. As we close out Children’s Grief Awareness Month, I’m really excited to share Jon’s story and perspective with you. He lost his dad when he was just 24—and he had to step in and help care for his six younger siblings and help them with their grief, both short term and long term. I kn…
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Melissa Williams-Gurian Reflects on Losing Her Mom at Age 15
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I had such a great discussion with Melissa Williams-Gurian for this episode. I’m grateful Melissa was willing to speak with me because she doesn’t do this work professionally; she shares with us from her own personal experience of losing her mom when she was 15. Perhaps this is around the ages some of our kids were. Talking with people who lost a p…
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Sandra Began Reflects on Being a Survivor of Suicide Loss
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53:49
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53:49
I had such a great discussion with Sandra Began for this episode. Sandra lost her husband to suicide when their boys were nine and eleven. She was really open about just how difficult it is for survivors of suicide loss. This is an important discussion, both for widowed parents who lost their partners to suicide, and for those who love and support …
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Erin Browning on Stepparenting After Your Partner Dies
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I had such a great discussion with Erin Browning for this episode. It’s Children’s Grief Awareness Month, and we have a little different topic for you this week. We’re talking about being a stepparent who has grieving stepkids when your spouse—their parent—dies. Erin is very thoughtful on this topic, because she’s seen it from both sides: her dad d…
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Kelsey Chittick Reflects on Losing Her Husband Suddenly
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I had such a great discussion with Kelsey Chittick for this episode. Kelsey is a widowed parent, and in this episode she reflects on losing her husband suddenly. He actually died in front of their kids at the trampoline park, when she was out of the country. Be sure to listen for the part where she shares the most valuable lesson she learned: that …
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Debbie Weiss on Adventures in Mid-Life Widowed Dating
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I had such a great discussion with Debbie Weiss for this episode. We talk about three different aspects of Debbie’s grief experience: losing her mom at age 10; losing her husband at age 50; and dating in middle-age widowhood. Debbie is the author of the new book Available As Is: A Midlife Widow's Search for Love. -=-=-=-=- Thank you sponsors & part…
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Allison Gilbert on the Power of Biography and Her New Book: Listen, World!
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I had such a great discussion with Allison Gilbert for this episode. Allison was my guest back in episode 35, where we talked about her book Passed and Present, and about ways to keep the memory of our loved ones alive. This week, we talk about her new book, which is called: Listen, World! It’s a biography – and in our discussion we uncovered the i…
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Barri Leiner Grant on the Memory Circle and Options for Grief Support
45:14
45:14
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I had such a great discussion with Barri Leiner Grant for this episode. One of the most important takeaways from our discussion is this: grief support comes in different forms, and it’s important to understand some of the options so you can find something that feels right for you. -=-=-=-=- Thank you sponsors & partners: Grief Coach - Grief support…
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I had such a great discussion with Meghan Riordan Jarvis for this episode. Meghan is a trauma therapist, and what she had to say about trauma and grief kind of blew my mind. This discussion is one of a special pair of episodes: Meghan and I talked twice in the same week — once for her show, once for mine — so do be sure to listen to both discussion…
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Adam Carter on the Role of Social media in Teen Grief
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44:14
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I had such a great discussion with Adam Carter of the National Alliance for Children’s Grief for this episode. We talked all about how social media can be a helpful tool, plus tips and suggestions for parents when it comes to teen social media use as it relates to grief and grieving. Check out the word cloud, and then listen to the full episode on …
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Joseph James Reflects on Being a Widowed Dad of Three Young Children
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50:09
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50:09
I had a great discussion with Joseph James for this episode. I’m really glad that Joseph reached out to me about coming on the show, because this show is not just for moms. It’s is very definitely for all widowed parents. And I think it’s useful to hear a variety of perspectives, and a variety of styles of grieving, and parenting. And as Joseph tel…
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Paula Harris on Navigating Your Financial Life as a Widowed Parent
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47:24
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I had such a great discussion with Paula Harris for this episode. Paula’s financial planning firm specializes in working with widowed people, and she’s also the author of Rise Up: A Widow’s Journal. Check out the word cloud for this episode, and then listen to our full discussion! -=-=-=-=- Thank you sponsors & partners: Grief Coach - Grief support…
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Lisa Valentine Clark Reflects on Widowed Parenting and Losing Her Husband to ALS
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I had such a great discussion with Lisa Valentine Clark for this episode. Lisa is a widowed mom of 5, and she lost her husband two years ago to ALS. Check out the word cloud for this episode, and then listen to our full discussion. -=-=-=-=- Thank you sponsors & partners: Grief Coach - Grief support text messaging service. Tips and support delivere…
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I had such a great discussion with Zibby Owens for this episode. Zibby has a delightful podcast all about books & authors, and a thoughtful new memoir, Bookends, which dives deep into grief. Some topics Zibby and I discuss include: Zibby’s podcast, Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, and some of her favorite grief memoirs; Her own brand-new memoir,…
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Author Kristin Meekhof Reflects on Losing Her Dad at Age 5
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53:57
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I had such a great discussion with Kristin Meekhof for this episode. Kristin is an author, and I invited her on the show because she is both widowed herself and is someone who lost a parent at a young age. Plus, this week we have a giveaway, where one lucky winner will get signed copies of both Kristin’s book, A Widow’s Guide to Healing, and my own…
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I had such a great discussion with Rebecca Soffer for this episode. Rebecca is not a widowed parent, but many widowed parents and others turn to her book and her community, Modern Loss, for support and connection. And now, Rebecca has a brand-new book: The Modern Loss Handbook. It’s a beautiful, full-color book, and Rebecca calls it “an interactive…
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Kim Murray Reflects on Widowed Parenting and Shares Resources for Widowed People
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1:00:30
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I had such a great discussion with Kim Murray for this episode. Kim is a widowed parent, and we have so much in common. Her husband died of glioblastoma, as did mine. Her kids were 8 and 10 when he was diagnosed; mine were those ages, too. Most importantly, though, Kim gets real with us. She talks about things people aren’t willing to talk about – …
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Stacy Francis on Taxes & Financial Planning for Widowed Parents
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51:13
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I had such a great discussion with Stacy Francis for this episode. Stacy is a certified financial planner who specializes in working with women going through transitions, including becoming widowed. I invited her on the show because this is such an important topic, and it’s helpful to be able to ask an expert our questions about money, taxes, and s…
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I had such a great discussion with Karen Phelps Moyer for this episode. I first learned of Karen’s work because she founded Camp Erin, which is a camp for kids ages 6-17 who are grieving the loss of a loved one, and which runs camps in many locations across the US. Now, Karen is working with widowed people and others to reimagine love after loss. I…
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Maria Vassiliou Reflects on Losing Her Mom at Age 2
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36:56
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I had such a great discussion with Maria Vassiliou for this episode. Maria lost her mom when she was just two years old. As an adult, she’s studied thanatology and started a podcast dedicated to exploring and expanding the conversation about death. Her podcast is called Philotimo Life. Some topics Maria and I discuss include: Maria and her dad movi…
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Sherri Fisher Debunks the 'Effort Myth' About Kids and School
48:40
48:40
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I had such a great discussion with Sherri Fisher for this episode. Sherri is a learning specialist who has worked both in schools and in private practice. I wanted to invite her to the show this week because she has so much wisdom and experience to share with us on the topic of support for kids who are struggling in school. Maybe it’s just me, but …
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Heather Stang on Mindfulness and Grief
1:04:10
1:04:10
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I had such a great discussion with Heather Stang for this episode. Heather is founder of the Mindfulness & Grief Institute, where she facilitates Awaken, a mindfulness-based online grief group, offers individual sessions, and hosts the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast. Even though we recorded this discussion some months back, I think it’s a great time r…
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Salisbury Family Part 2: Katarina Salisbury Reflects on Losing Her Dad at Age 6
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I had such a great discussion with Katarina Salisbury for this episode. This is the second episode in a two-part series with the Salisbury family—Katarina is with us this week, and last week we spoke with her mom, Leila. I hope you had a chance to catch that discussion—listeners are telling me it was a powerful one. Katarina is just 15 years old, a…
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Salisbury Family Part 1: Leila Salisbury Reflects on Widowed Parenting
1:01:04
1:01:04
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I had such a great discussion with Leila Salisbury for this episode. This is the first episode of a two-part series with the Salisbury family – Leila is with us this week, and next week we’ll speak with her 15-year-old daughter, Katarina, for part two of the series. It’s going to be so great to hear from both of them, and hear their different persp…
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Lane Pease Hendricks and Nancy Kriseman from Kate's Club Share Tips for Widowed Parents
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57:48
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I had such a great discussion with Lane Pease Hendricks and Nancy Kriseman from Kate’s Club for this episode. Lane and Nancy have a brand new book for widowed parents and others who are raising grieving kids. They are with Kate’s Club, a leading grief program for kids and families, so they really know their stuff. I am so excited to bring you this …
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Joy Imboden Overstreet Reflects on Widowed Parenting After 47 Years
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47:05
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47:05
I had such a great discussion with Joy Imboden Overstreet for this episode. Joy is a widowed parent, and is in fact the person who is farthest out from their loss that we’ve had on the show. She was widowed 47 years ago, when her kids were just 3 & 6 years old. I think it’s really helpful to hear her perspectives and reflections after many years. S…
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Mari Marquez Reflects on Widowed Parenting
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I had such a great discussion with Mari Marquez for this episode. It was so much fun talking to Mari twice over the course of a few days – once for her show, and once for mine. It really was lovely to connect with her and hear all about her experiences, and also her blog, podcast, and children’s book, all of which bring badly-needed resources to wi…
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Joanne Harpel on Coping After Suicide Loss (ENCORE EPISODE)
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I had such a great discussion with Joanne Harpel for this episode. We talk about a really difficult topic today: coping after losing a loved one to suicide. It seems that many people are uncomfortable talking about death in general … and even more uncomfortable when talking about suicide. This is a topic we haven’t specifically covered yet on the s…
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