I had such a great discussion with Amanda-Lee Pitzer for this episode. Amanda-Lee is the author of the new memoir The Relieved Widow.

"Relieved," you say? Yes, the title is perhaps a bit jarring. But Amanda-Lee is doing readers a service by being open and honest about her story of losing her military husband to suicide when their boys were 8 and 10. She recalls that when her therapist friend pointed out that she seemed to feel relieved, her reaction was, "I'm not allowed to say that. No one can know."

By talking about her journey, Amanda-Lee gives us permission to talk about the things that are our own realities. She also shares practical tips for navigating the hard conversations with her boys – right after it happened, and in the years to come – that are I think important for all widowed parents to hear.

Links & show notes

The Widowed Parent Institute guides the journey of solo parenting after loss. Get free resources for widowed parents and for supporting grieving friends.

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