Widowhood Real Talk with Dr. Tina

Navigating deep loss reshapes your entire world, but rebuilding life after loss starts when you finally give yourself permission to feel. In this heartfelt conversation, host Dr. Tina Fornwald speaks with two-time widower Tim Holt about surviving heartbreak, letting go of emotional silence, and discovering true inner peace. Tim opens up about losing his first wife at twenty-two, walking through a difficult second marriage and loss, and learning how service to others helped heal his own grief. He shares why men struggle to put down their daily routines to process raw pain and how honest self-reflection changed his life. You'll learn why healing requires doing your own internal work before opening your heart to someone new. This raw dialogue offers practical encouragement for anyone ready to step out of survival mode and embrace a grounded life they love.

I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others.

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://widowhood-realtalkwithtina.org/

Watching someone you love slip away slowly brings a heavy burden known as anticipatory grief and dementia. In this moving conversation, host Dr. Tina Fornwald welcomes author Joan Shannell Evans to discuss her personal journey caring for family members living with memory loss. Joan shares what happened when her mother began declining after her father died suddenly, revealing how loss triggers deep emotional pain. You'll learn practical ways to ask for family support early, avoid severe caregiver burnout, and lean into personal faith during impossible seasons. Joan also shares insights from her book, The Long Nightmare: My Family's Journey with Dementia, offering comfort to anyone feeling completely isolated in their caregiving role.

I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others.

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://widowhood-realtalkwithtina.org/

Navigating the loss of a child reshapes every part of your world, but grief transformation shows us how love outlasts physical presence. In this heartfelt conversation, host Dr. Tina Fornwald speaks with inspirational author and grief-informed leadership coach Eyum Ejiga about honoring her late daughter Grace. Eyum explains why healing doesn't mean moving on or leaving your child behind. Instead, she shares how parents can move forward while carrying their loved one's legacy into new purpose. You'll hear practical wisdom on answering painful everyday questions, giving yourself permission to speak about your loss, and building community through advocacy. Eyum also shares how her daughter's journey inspired the Grace Miracle Foundation, which provides mobility equipment to children with disabilities across Africa.

I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others.

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://widowhood-realtalkwithtina.org/

Navigating spousal loss can leave you feeling disoriented, exhausted, and completely isolated in survival mode. Rebuilding life after loss isn't about rushing to feel okay, but about discovering compassionate space to honor your pain at your own pace. In this heartfelt conversation, host Dr. Tina Fornwald welcomes Anita and Mel, hosts of the podcast Widow We Do Now. Together, they discuss the physical reality of trauma, passive suicidality, and why dark humor often becomes a vital lifeline. They reveal practical ways to support a grieving friend without offering shallow platitudes that do more harm than good. You'll learn how small daily choices and authentic community connections can slowly restore hope. Tune in to discover why honoring your own timeline is the kindest choice you can make today.

I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others.

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://widowhood-realtalkwithtina.org/

Host Dr. Tina Fornwald welcomes author and grief educator Natasha Smith to discuss how loss impacts individuals through a distinct cultural lens. Why is grief experienced differently by Black women, and what do we need to understand that we've been missing. Natasha Smith shares her personal story of carrying decades of unspoken loss, including family deaths, pregnancy loss, and silent caregiving. Together, they break down the cultural expectations of being the strong Black woman and explore how faith communities can create safer places for emotional healing. This powerful conversation offers practical guidance for releasing internal pressure and giving yourself full permission to feel seen.

I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others.  

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://widowhood-realtalkwithtina.org/

In this inspiring episode of Widowhood Real Talk with Dr. Tina, Dr. Tina welcomes Chanoa Inez, author of Dream On: How to Create the New Life of Your Dreams After Upheaval or Loss. Chanoa shares her remarkable journey after the sudden loss of her partner while traveling abroad and the long road of healing that followed. Together, they discuss what it takes to move beyond survival mode, rediscover hope, and intentionally create a meaningful life after devastating loss.

Whether you're newly widowed or years into your grief journey, this conversation offers practical strategies, heartfelt encouragement, and the reminder that while grief changes your life forever, it doesn't have to end your dreams. If you've been wondering whether joy, purpose, and hope are still possible, this episode is for you.

I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others.  

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://widowhood-realtalkwithtina.org/

In this heartfelt episode of Widowhood Real Talk with Dr. Tina, Dr. Tina welcomes Yulonda Hurst Hill—speaker, author, storyteller, life coach, and Director of The Widowed Well. Together, they explore the emotional, spiritual, and practical decisions widows face after loss, how to rediscover identity, and what it means to build a meaningful life while honoring the love that came before.

Yulonda shares insights from her digital guide, The Wise Widow: The First 7 Decisions After Loss, along with her passion for helping widows heal through storytelling, faith, and legacy. This conversation offers compassionate encouragement, practical guidance, and hope for anyone navigating grief after the death of a spouse.

I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others.  

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://widowhood-realtalkwithtina.org/

In this episode of Widowhood Real Talk with Dr. Tina, Dr. Tina welcomes Phil Allen, a hospice chaplain and author who has spent more than three decades walking alongside people facing loss, death, and life's most difficult seasons. Together, they discuss what grief really looks like, why healing cannot be rushed, and how faith can become a source of comfort rather than pressure during widowhood.

Drawing from his book, The Ache in the Ordinary, Phil shares gentle wisdom about finding God's presence in everyday moments, embracing honest conversations about pain, and discovering hope even when answers are hard to find. Whether you're newly widowed, supporting someone who is grieving, or seeking encouragement in your own journey, this conversation offers compassionate insight and practical hope.

I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others.  

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://widowhood-realtalkwithtina.org/

In this episode of Widowhood Real Talk with Dr. Tina, Dr. Tina welcomes Dr. Audrey Davidheiser, licensed clinical psychologist and author of Grieving Wholeheartedly: Bringing Healing to Every Part of Your Soul. Together, they explore why grief can feel so overwhelming, how emotions deserve compassion rather than suppression, and practical ways widows can begin healing after the death of a spouse. Dr. Audrey combines psychological expertise with a deeply compassionate approach to help grieving people navigate loss with greater understanding and hope.

Whether you're newly widowed, years into your grief journey, or supporting someone through loss, this conversation offers practical insight, emotional validation, and evidence-based tools for moving toward healing one wholehearted step at a time.

I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others.

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://widowhood-realtalkwithtina.org/

In this moving episode of Widowhood Real Talk with Dr. Tina, Dr. Tina welcomes grief educator, author, and speaker Vicky Edgerly, whose life was forever changed by the loss of her son to suicide, her daughter to cancer, and her husband to suicide. Rather than allowing grief to define her future, Vicky discovered a path toward healing that transformed her pain into purpose. Today, she helps others navigate life's most difficult losses with compassion, wisdom, and hope.

Together, Dr. Tina and Vicky discuss surviving complex grief, supporting widows and bereaved parents, finding meaning after unimaginable heartbreak, and why healing doesn't mean forgetting; it means learning to carry love forward. Vicky also shares insights from her memoir, Through Grief-Colored Glasses: A Life Reinvented by Devastating Loss, and the lessons that continue to inspire grieving families worldwide.

I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others.  

Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://widowhood-realtalkwithtina.org/