The Widowed Mom Podcast

Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, angry, or deeply tired as you navigate solo parenting after loss? Maybe you judge yourself for those feelings. Maybe you worry that you're barely holding it together. Here's what I need you to hear: You are not doing it wrong. You are not failing. You are simply a human doing something that is incredibly hard. Listen in this week to hear five key insights about parenting while grieving that will help you give yourself the credit, permission, and support you deserve. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/341 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/

When it comes to talking to children about death, most of us freeze. We worry we'll say the wrong thing. We want to protect them from pain. We fear making it worse. The truth is, talking to children about death doesn't have to feel overwhelming. In this episode, I'm sharing a simple framework that you can return to again and again. Whether you're a new widow navigating this territory or someone supporting a friend who needs guidance, this episode offers practical tools for having these difficult but necessary conversations. Tune in this week to discover a three-part approach that takes the mystery out of these conversations. I walk you through exactly what to say, what to avoid, and how to support children of any age as they navigate their grief. Want a taste of Mom Goes On? The Holiday Pass gives you two weeks of access to Mom Goes On, beginning on December 3rd, 2025. This low-commitment trial provides support for the holidays, including access to life coaching and tapping calls, and community experience. Click here to join: https://coachingwithkrista.com/holidaypass Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/340 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/

Have you noticed how evenings and weekends hit differently as a widow? You're moving through your day, managing work, errands, maybe even feeling okay… then you get home, the house quiets down, and suddenly the loneliness gets louder. If you've been wondering whether that’s normal, the answer is yes. In fact, there are many difficult parts of widowhood that we don't talk about enough. So join me this week as I share what makes widowhood so challenging for the women I work with, plus, I'll give you practical tools you can use immediately to bring more ease to whatever feels hardest right now. Join my free, 3-day live workshop, Happier Holidays for Widowed Moms, to learn 3 simple ways to make this season easier. It’s happening November 18th-20th, 2025, and you can register here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/freeholidayevent/ Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/339 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/

Have you ever noticed how grief changes the conversations you want to have? Maybe it's with a family member who's disappointed you since your loss. Maybe it's with a friend whose surface-level check-ins no longer feel like enough. Or maybe it's with yourself - about what you really want now that everything has changed. This week, I sit down with my dear friend and coach Sara Fisk to talk about something that affects all of us: difficult conversations. She discovered that for widows, difficult conversations aren't just hard. They’re uniquely tender, filled with grief and the desire for authentic connection. Listen in as Sara and I explore how to have a difficult conversation. We talk about what makes conversations feel hard, especially in grief, and Sara shares tangible tools to approach your next difficult conversation with more confidence and compassion. Join my free, 3-day live workshop, Happier Holidays for Widowed Moms, to learn 3 simple ways to make this season easier. It’s happening November 18th-20th, 2025, and you can register here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/freeholidayevent/ Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/338 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/

Are you bracing yourself for the holidays? The holidays after loss can feel like navigating an emotional minefield. One minute you might laugh at a memory, the next you're crying over a Christmas card. And that exhausting voice in your head keeps saying you should be doing more, feeling different, or holding it all together better. Here's what I want you to know: You don't have to love the holidays. You don't have to make them magical. You definitely don't have to hold it all together. Join me this week to discover how to decide what matters most this year, how to protect your energy by choosing your level of participation, and why emotional whiplash is completely normal during the holidays. I'll also share simple ways to include your person in the season and why simplifying, resting, and receiving help are essential for getting through this time. Join my free, 3-day live workshop, Happier Holidays for Widowed Moms, to learn 3 simple ways to make this season easier. It’s happening November 18th-20th, 2025, and you can register here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/freeholidayevent/ Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/337

The holidays bring a unique kind of heaviness when you're navigating them without your person. Your brain searches for them in every familiar tradition, every decoration, every family gathering - and when it can't find them, it sends out waves of emotion that can feel overwhelming. I'm addressing why the holidays can stir up such intense emotions for widowed moms and why there's no right way to feel during this season. Whether you're dreading every moment, feeling surprisingly peaceful, or experiencing emotional whiplash between the two, your experience makes complete sense. Listen in this week to learn what’s happening in your brain and body during this time, so you can offer yourself compassion instead of criticism. You'll discover why numbness, isolation, and rapid mood shifts are all natural responses to grief during the holidays. Most importantly, you'll learn that whatever you're feeling - from complete disconnection to unexpected joy - doesn't need to be fixed or justified. Join my free, 3-day live workshop, Happier Holidays for Widowed Moms, to learn 3 simple ways to make this season easier. It’s happening November 18th-20th, 2025, and you can register here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/freeholidayevent/ Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/336

Do you ever feel like you're just going through the motions? Like you're functioning, but not really living? If you're nodding your head, you're not alone. In fact, this feeling is so common among widows that I've given it a name: the grief plateau. It’s that space where you're stable enough to function, but your future feels uncertain and life doesn't quite feel like you'd like it to. You might be back at work, taking care of your family, and managing day-to-day tasks, but inside, something feels... missing.  If you're ready to take that first step, tune in this week as I share three essential keys to help you get unstuck and move beyond this plateau.Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/335

Have you ever found yourself frozen, wanting to support someone who's grieving but afraid of saying the wrong thing?Most of us weren't taught how to show up for someone who's experienced a devastating loss. We want to help, but sometimes our well-intentioned words can accidentally cause more harm than good. Join me this week as I share practical guidance for anyone who wants to be a genuine source of support for a widow in their life. Drawing from my work with widows every day and my own experience, I break down the common myths about grief that lead to hurtful comments, explain why grief is a full-body experience that affects everything from memory to decision-making, and offer specific phrases that actually help versus those that don't.Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/334

Have you been beating yourself up because you can't stop thinking about something? Maybe it’s the last conversation you had with your person, something someone said that felt hurtful, or a decision you're questioning. You tell yourself to move on, but the thought returns like a boomerang, taking up mental space you desperately need for other things. The frustration builds as you wonder why you can't just let it go, especially when everyone says not to let things "live rent-free in your head." Tune in this week to discover what’s really happening in your brain when you can’t stop thinking about something, and how to break the rumination cycle without forcing yourself to "just stop thinking about it." Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/333

Have you ever had someone say, “You're so strong” or, “They're in a better place now” and felt... worse? These well-meaning comments, though intended to comfort, often leave us feeling misunderstood and alone in our grief journey. Sometimes the people who love us most can hurt us without meaning to. This disconnect between what someone intends and how their actions affect us shows up everywhere in widowhood. And understanding this gap between intention and impact can transform how we navigate grief and relationships. Tune in this week as I explore the concept of intent versus impact and how it plays out in widowhood. You'll discover how to validate your experience without having to villainize anyone's intentions, and why this distinction matters for your healing. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/332

If you’re surprised by how some friendships have changed after losing your spouse, you’re not alone. When we lose our person, we often don't expect to also lose connections with friends who we thought would always be there. And many widows experience this unexpected secondary loss - the shifting or disappearing of friendships they thought would remain steady through their grief journey. Understanding the dynamics of friendship changes during grief can help us process these losses and make room for new connections that align with who we're becoming. Listen in this week as I explore why these friendship changes happen and, more importantly, how to navigate them with grace and self-compassion. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/331

Are you constantly putting everyone else's needs before your own, even in your grief? When we're grieving, it's tempting to try to "keep it together" for everyone else. But managing your grief for others' comfort comes at a deep cost to our own healing. This week, I’m joined by Bea Albina, a nurse practitioner turned master life coach, somatic expert, and author of a new book called End Emotional Outsourcing: How to Overcome Your Codependent, Perfectionist, and People-Pleasing Habits. She’s here to discuss this pattern of handing our worth, choices, and energy over to others to feel safe, loved, and accepted, or as she calls it: emotional outsourcing.  Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/330 

Have you ever told yourself, “I'll do it when I feel motivated?” Maybe it's about going through your person's belongings. Maybe it's about getting back to exercise. Maybe it's about making those difficult financial decisions. Here's the truth: If you're waiting to feel motivated before taking action, you might be waiting a very long time. Tune in this week to learn the importance of understanding the difference between motivation and commitment. You’ll hear why motivation isn't the spark that starts the fire (and what really is), and practical tools to take action even when you don't feel like it. If you've been waiting to feel "ready" or "motivated" before making changes in your life, this episode is for you. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/329

Have you ever found yourself lying awake at night, with your thoughts spinning out of control? One worried thought leads to another, and before you know it, you're imagining worst-case scenarios that feel all too real. I call this the ‘what-if' doom spiral, and if you're experiencing it, you're not alone.  Listen in this week to learn how to recognize the what-if doom spiral, and how to calm your nervous system, ground yourself in the present moment, and ask yourself questions that actually move you forward instead of keeping you stuck in anticipatory anxiety. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/328

Standing in a crowded room after losing your spouse can feel like being invisible in plain sight. The laughter around you seems distant, the couples holding hands become all you notice, and somehow being surrounded by people makes the loneliness even sharper. Join me today to learn simple but powerful actions and mindset shifts that will help you move from feeling like an outsider to feeling genuinely connected, even in challenging social situations. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/327

The human brain has a remarkable ability to adapt to both positive and negative life changes, eventually returning us to a baseline level of happiness.  When your person dies, it can feel like your happiness baseline has been permanently lowered. Many widows worry they'll never experience the same level of joy or fulfillment they once knew. But here's what modern science tells us: your happiness is changeable through consistent, intentional practice. Join me today to learn how hedonic adaptation works like an emotional thermostat that pulls you back to your normal happiness level, what keeps some people stuck at a lower happiness set point, and how savoring micro-joys interrupts hedonic adaptation and strengthens positive neural pathways. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/326

Grief doesn't follow a straight line. It spirals. When intense emotions resurface months or even years later, when you circle back to feelings you thought you'd already processed, it's not a sign of failure or regression.  The Healing Grief Spiral is a framework I created that reflects how grief actually works: as an upward expansion cycle where we revisit three core steps over and over, each time from a place of greater strength and awareness.  Join me today to discover how to work with your grief instead of against it.  This isn't about moving on or reaching some final stage of acceptance. It's about building the skills to be a real human experiencing grief while creating a life you want to live. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/325

Community isn't just about having people around you - it's about finding those who truly understand the weight of what you're carrying.  When Jennifer Schroeder lost her husband Jerry after 40 years together, she discovered that the isolation of grief was almost as crushing as the loss itself. Join us this week as Jennifer shares how joining a community of widows transformed her relationship with grief. From arguing that loving life again was "a bridge too far" to finding peace in the belief that her days as a widow were always meant to be, she reveals the specific tools and mindset shifts that helped her move from survival mode to building a meaningful future. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/324

Life after loss can feel heavy. Not just in the early days of grief, but years later when you're managing moves, anniversaries, and unexpected challenges all at once. When your brain gets stuck in "everything is hard mode," it becomes a pattern-seeking machine that filters every experience through that lens. The to-do lists multiply, the emotions intensify, and suddenly you're living in what feels like a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. But here's what I've learned: You don't have to change everything about your situation to make it feel more manageable. Join me this week to learn why your brain might be stuck in "everything is hard" mode, the two key shifts that can help you feel more capable, and practical ways to support yourself when life feels overwhelming. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/323

Do you find yourself second-guessing every decision since your loss? When grief hits, the ground beneath your feet doesn't just shift - it disappears entirely. The person who helped you think through decisions, who was your emotional anchor and nervous system co-regulator, is gone. Now you're trying to navigate life with a brain on high alert and a body that's exhausted, wondering why every decision feels impossible and why you can't seem to trust your own judgment anymore. Tune in this week to learn why self-trust after loss isn’t just about confidence - it’s about your entire relationship with yourself. You’ll hear why this loss of self-trust is so common after losing your spouse, and more importantly, how to rebuild it. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/322