Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share My Widowed Life
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
My Widowed Life episodes
- Building a Support Network for Widows and Widowers: Government Support
In this episode, Palma speaks with Richard Dri, a wealth advisor for the widowed community, to discuss Government support for widows and widowers (varies by province).
Join Palma as she chats about:
- Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
- Old Age Security
- CPP Death Benefit
- CPP Children's Benefit
- EI Compassionate Care
- Provincial Social Assistance
- Housing Assistance
- Tax Credits and Deductions
Connect with Palma:
- Mywidowedlife.com
- Join the My Widowed Life Facebook Group
- LinkedIn: Palma Polesel
Connect with Richard:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn: Richard Dri
29 min - Preparing for the Unexpected: Building an Emergency Fund as a Widow/er (Ep. 9)
Are you prepared with a designated emergency fund? As a surviving spouse with responsibilities for both yourself and possibly your children, having a reliable safety net can make a world of difference.
In this episode, Palma speaks with Richard Dri, a wealth advisor for the widowed community, to discuss how much you should be saving for an emergency fund, best practices for saving, and the importance of reassessing the fund during major life changes. They also discuss navigating the world of dating, and how Richard turned to a popular dating app when he was ready for companionship after the loss of his wife.
Join Palma as she chats with Richard about:
- The significance of having an emergency fund for financial stability and peace of mind
- Important first steps for preparing an emergency fund
- How widows can navigate a single-income family dynamic on their own
- And more
Resource:
- Securing Your Future: Practical Budgeting Tips for Widows and Widowers (Ep. 6)
Connect with Palma Polesel:
- My Widowed Life
- Join the My Widowed Life Facebook Group
- LinkedIn: Palma Polesel
Connect with Richard Dri:
- LinkedIn: Richard Dri
31 min - Widows/ers Essentials: Understanding Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds and GICs
In this episode of My Widowed Life, Palma chats with Richard Dri a fellow member of the widow community and a financial planner. Together they discuss various investment options like stocks, bonds, GICs, and mutual funds and the importance of knowing your investment risk tolerance.
They also share how easily undetectable scams have become, how you can protect your personal and banking information, and why widows and widowers are often targeted.
This episode covers:
- Canadian investment options and strategies for widows and widowers
- What is an investment and what is not an investment
- Why it’s beneficial to your financial health to avoid making big financial decisions during the first year of widowhood
- The importance of having a safe word to verify the authenticity of messages
- Taking risks with investments and how different investments carry varying levels of risk
- And more
Resources:
- Securing Your Future: Practical Budgeting Tips for Widows and Widowers (Ep. 6)
Connect with Palma Polesel:
- My Widowed Life
- Join the My Widowed Life Facebook Group
- LinkedIn: Palma Polesel
Connect with Richard Dri:
- LinkedIn: Richard Dri
36 min - Life After Loss: Widows/ers Navigating Higher Interest Rates, RRSPs, TFSAs, and How to Select a Beneficiary (Ep.7)
What happens to the money in a bank account if the holder passes away?
In this episode of My Widowed Life, Palma speaks with Richard Dri, financial planner at Scotia McLeod about issues that can arise if bank accounts aren’t updated. Plus, gain insight into the current state of the Canadian economy and its effects.
Listen in as they discuss:
- What are interest rates and why do they increase and decrease
- The difference between a TFSA and an RRSP account
- How to properly ensure the surviving spouse receives funds and reduces taxes
- And more
Connect with Palma Polesel:
- My Widowed Life
- Join the My Widowed Life Facebook Group
- LinkedIn: Palma Polesel
Connect with Richard Dri:
- LinkedIn: Richard Dri
34 min - Securing Your Future: Practical Budgeting Tips for Widows and Widowers (Ep. 6)
This is part one of a four-part series that focuses on financial planning for widows and widowers.
Listen as Palma gains insight with advice from Richard Dri, a financial planner and a fellow member of the widow community.
Together they discuss:
- Financial challenges after the loss of a spouse
- How to create a post-loss budget and adjust your spending
- The importance of assessing your income and expenses
- The power of life insurance and government benefits
- And more
Resources:
- Mint: Budgeting Tool
Connect with Palma Polesel:
- My Widowed Life
- Join the My Widowed Life Facebook Group
- LinkedIn: Palma Polesel
Connect with Richard Dri:
- LinkedIn: Richard Dri
34 min - From Mourning to Moving Forward: Widows and Widowers Shatter Expectations (Ep.5)
Losing your spouse is hard enough without having to bear the weight of others’ expectations.
In this thought-provoking episode, Palma Polesel is once again joined by her guest and friend, Richard Dri to discuss the complexity of societal expectations many widows face, including dating, mourning periods, and how to honor a loved one.
Join their conversation about:
- Common expectations of Widows/widowers
- How to curb pressures from your workplace
- Why it’s important to your grief journey and your sanity to ignore comments and unwanted opinions from others
- The expectation of taking care of your deceased spouse’s parents
- And more
Resources:
- “The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying” by Bronnie Ware
- Transforming Pain into Power: How Can Grief Triggers Foster Healing? (Ep. 4)
- The Princess Margaret Ride to Conquer Cancer
Connect with Palma Polesel:
- My Widowed Life
- Join the My Widowed Life Facebook Group
- LinkedIn: Palma Polesel
Connect with Richard Dri:
- LinkedIn: Richard Dri
33 min - Transforming Pain into Power: How Can Grief Triggers Foster Healing? (Ep. 4)
After losing your spouse, it is very common to experience triggers of grief from things like their favourite song or restaurant, your wedding anniversary, or even something as simple as coming across an old belonging of theirs.
In this release, Palma Polesel invites her friend and fellow widow, Richard Dri onto the show to provide some personal insight and guidance for navigating the many grief triggers that can occur after the death of a spouse.
Listen in as Palma and Richard discuss:
- Common grief triggers and strategies to help you cope
- Why it’s important to give yourself grace and understanding during a moment of grief
- How to prepare for when you know a possible trigger event is coming up (holidays, birthdays, etc)
- The concept of avoidance – when it’s healthy and when it’s not
- And more
Resources:
- Can Our Journey Through Grief Guide Us to Acceptance? (Ep. 2)
- Helping You Heal After Loss: Grief and Mental Health Resources (Ep. 3)
Connect with Palma Polesel:
- My Widowed Life
- Join the My Widowed Life Facebook Group
- LinkedIn: Palma Polesel
Connect with Richard Dri:
- LinkedIn: Richard Dri
30 min - Helping You Heal After Loss: Grief and Mental Health Resources (Ep. 3)
Have you experienced heartbreaking grief that has impacted your life?
Often, grief is not a feeling you can prepare for.
In this episode, Palma is once again joined by her recurring guest and friend, Richard Dri. Together they discuss the multifaceted nature of grief and its impact on our emotional well-being. Listen as they share their insights on the various stages of grief, coping mechanisms, and the importance of seeking professional help when navigating loss.
Hear their real-life experiences about:
- How they leaned on mental health resources like therapy and journaling.
- What symptoms they experienced during their grief and how they coped
- The types and stages of grief that surviving spouses and their immediate family can experience
- Strategies that they continue to enforce as they navigate widowhood
- And more
Resources:
- On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
- On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross & David Kessler
- My gratitude for your support during this difficult time in my life by Richard Dri
- 4 Lessons Learned Since Becoming Widowed by Richard Dri
- Can being widowed make you a better person? by Richard Dri
- Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by Jon Kabat-Zinn
- CAMH: The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
- Canadian Mental Health Association
Connect with Palma Polesel:
- My Widowed Life
- Join the My Widowed Life Facebook Group
- LinkedIn: Palma Polesel
Connect with Richard Dri:
- LinkedIn: Richard Dri
33 min - Can Our Journey Through Grief Guide Us to Acceptance? (Ep. 2)
In this week’s episode, Palma Polesel and her guest, Richard Dri delve into the profound stages of grief, drawing inspiration from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s groundbreaking book on the subject.
Join these two friends, who are also members of the widow community as they provide solace, guidance, and valuable lessons for those experiencing the complex emotions of grief.
Listen as they explore the intricacies of denial, anger, bargaining, and the many emotions that come with grieving the loss of a loved one.
In this episode, you will:
- Learn the six stages of grief
- Uncover valuable advice on making important decisions during the grieving period
- Explore ways to make the grieving process easier
- Learn how to avoid feeling guilty about the length of your coping journey
- Discover the importance of communication and saying goodbye to loved ones
- And more
Resources:
- On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
- On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross & David Kessler
- Autotrader
- Princess Margaret Ovarian Cancer Study
Connect with Palma Polesel:
- My Widowed Life
- Join the My Widowed Life Facebook Group
- LinkedIn: Palma Polesel
Connect with Richard Dri:
- LinkedIn: Richard Dri
34 min - Introducing My Widowed Life (Ep.1)
Welcome to the My Widowed Life podcast, hosted by Palma Polesel.
Palma is a solo parent, dog lover, and a member of the widowed community, a club no one wants to join. Following the loss of her spouse, she felt compelled to help others navigate widowhood and find a fulfilling life after loss.
In this inaugural episode, Palma is joined by her recurring guest, Richard Dri, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and fellow widower.
Listen in as Palma and Richard share:
- How they became members of the widowed community
- Future topics that will be discussed to help those that have lost a spouse
- How having support from fellow widows and widowers can assist with grieving
- The different stages of grief and how unique the experience is for everyone
- And more
Connect with Palma Polesel:
- My Widowed Life
- Join the My Widowed Life Facebook Group
- LinkedIn: Palma Polesel
Connect with Richard Dri:
- LinkedIn: Richard Dri
27 min
About My Widowed Life
From the publisher's feed
Palma Polesel is a mother of two wonderful daughters. Losing her husband compelled Palma to help others navigate life in the widowed community