We are back 💥

The first episode of The Widow Podcast of 2022 is here and i'm so excited🎙️ 

💛 In this week’s episode I talk about feeling stuck in grief . 

I speak to so many people that say they feel stuck and can’t move forward, I felt it myself in my own grief, and its horrible.

However, on my journey, I have learnt a lot of the time, we feel this way because of the expectations we place on ourselves. The idea that we should be doing it better, or differently, or that we are not where we are 'supposed' to be.

When we start out on our grieving journey, I think we subconsciously cast a timeline in our minds of how long it is going to take to grieve, maybe there’s this silent notion that after the first year it’ll get easier, and when it doesn’t, we feel stuck, because we aren’t where we think we should be . We are often so intent on looking ahead, that we forget to look at how far we’ve come 

🌻 So, have a listen to this week’s podcast, as I share with you some of my thoughts and feelings around feeling stuck in grief and let me know what you think.

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…’

Email me:  [email protected]

Telephone me: 07967135870

Website: Julie New – Personal recovery coach

Follow my journey on Instagram: Julienewpersonalrecoverycoach

Join me on Twitter: @julienewcoach

Like my Facebook page: Julie New – Personal recovery coach

You are welcome to join my 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

Writing New Chapters with Stacey Macdonald

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 Staceys final words of wisdom were so beautiful, it felt like the perfect end to a wonderful conversation, so we left it at is was.

In this episode I talk to Emma about the death of her husband Simon in July 2016 and how this impacted herself and their two young girls. We also discuss the learnings Emma has gained from Simon's death, the importance of being as prepared as we can for our own deaths and the deaths of those around us, and how we can find the support that’s right for us

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Emma is a former end-of-life solicitor and Simon was in the military. Emma believed they had been very open about his death and prepared well for it, but there was still so much that they had not discussed

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We talk about:

🟡 Wills and Power of Attorney

🟡 Funeral planning

🟡 How you want to die

🟡 Where you want to die

🟡 What you want to happen after your death

🟡 How lockdown actually helped Emma deal with her grief

🟡 Re-discovering parts you of you that had disappeared

🟡 Supporting grieving children

You can find Emma and contact her via the following links;

Website: www.rainbowhunting.co.uk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rainbowhuntingmoments/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-gray-50245133/

Sign up to Emma's monthly newsletter here: https://www.rainbowhunting.co.uk/news

 In this week’s episode I discuss TRE - Tension and trauma releasing exercises, with Sylvia Tillman, an alternative practitioner. Sylvia specialises in Jikiden Reiki,  Laughter yoga, and of course, TRE.

TRE is a somatic self help tool to release deep muscular patterns of stress. The exercises assist the body in releasing deep muscular patterns of stress, tension and trauma, created and held in the body during a traumatic experience or through chronic stress.

When grieving, we are very focused on our mental wellbeing and seeking out therapy or counselling, but grieving has an effect on us mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally and all areas need tending to as mind and body are intrinsically linked and they shouldn't be seen in isolation.

We discuss how TRE can very simply help us release this tension and trauma and the wonderful knock on effects this can have.

We have to learn to tune into our bodies more, to reconnect with our bodies, and allow it to lead us to our healing.

Contact details for Sylvia;

http://www.tremendoustre.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/WhatIsTheAlternative

https://www.instagram.com/learnTRE

https://twitter.com/LearnTRE

In this week’s podcast I talk about grief coaching. What it is, and what it isn’t.

I get asked lots of questions, things like, am I a therapist, am I a counseller? I am neither of those things. I coach you, help you, and guide you on your grief journey, no matter where in your grieving journey you are.

I want to hold your hand, be a voice of reason, and help you ask yourself more positive questions.

I create a safe space for you and for your grief with no expectation, no judgment, no criticism, no shoulds. Your journey is unique, but I want to be here for you.

Take a listen to this week's episode to see how I can help you.

In this episode I have a very raw, honest and relatable conversation with friend and fellow widow Lisa. Lisa's husband Simon died in November 2019 leaving her and her children to navigate their way through life without Simon. Lisa is so inspirational and incredibly wise so I wanted her to share her story with you so you can draw from her strength and wisdom. There will be so much in this episode that will resonate on a deep and profound level, I know you will not leave without feeling truly inspired and motivated. Take a listen.

In this episode of The Widow Podcast I discuss how we cannot always control what happens to us in life, but we can control how we respond. 

If we just take a minute to stop, breathe, and think about what we want our next step to be, we can choose a response that is more aligned with who we are and the person we want to be.

We can’t change the past, and we have little control over the future, all we have is now. So, take the time to think about what choices you want to make in this season of your life. Make the choice to show yourself compassion and kindness, instead of judgment and criticism. 

You can choose how to respond to your grief. Ask for help, accept help, lean into what is present for you. Don’t do it all yourself, don’t burn yourself out. And above all, focus on the language you’re using, stop saying ‘never’ and ‘always’, it’s not helping you. Choose your words wisely.

With the seasons comes change, and it is the same for our grief. Throughout the seasons we feel different emotions and desires, and the season has an impact on our mood and how we feel.

As the new month came, Autumn seemed to appear in the blink of an eye, and with the leaves falling, we are forced to face the harsh reality of the death of our loved one. And then Winter comes and we are see this as a time to rest, restore, and reconnect. This is the heaviest season as it feels so long, we just want to hibernate. 

But change quickly comes again in the Spring, with a sense of renewed hope. We see more light than darkness and have more energy to face our feelings, and tasks we may have been avoiding.

Summer is the best season, as things start to feel bright again. We learn to integrate our loss and the future. 

Remember, you will blossom again one day. All seasons are temporary, nothing is permanent. Trust what feels right, and listen to your body.