Leslie Harter Berg's entire world changed in a single instant. At just 30 years old, she became a widow with two grieving toddlers.

In today's episode, Leslie shares the raw, unfiltered story of sudden loss, early widowhood, and the messy, beautiful journey of rebuilding a life.

She opens up about:

~the surreal experience of Ryan's aneurysm and stroke

~navigating solo parenthood while drowning in grief

~how denial actually helped her survive those brutal first months.

~her solo trip to New Zealand with her two toddlers

~her shifting identity as a mother and as a woman

~grieving the version of yourself that only existed with your person

~the insecurity that nobody warns you about after loss

~why the second year of widowhood can feel lonelier than the first

~how she met and married her now husband Saul

~the complexity of blending families while honoring her boys' late father

~the birth of her third son — a baby she calls "the glue of the family."!

Leslie is also the founder of Vids for Wids, a nonprofit dedicated to sharing widow stories through video. She is also the author of her new memoir You're So Strong — a title that perfectly captures the complicated, funny, and exhausting expectations placed on grieving people!

If you've ever been told you're so strong when what you really needed was someone to just say, this is awful — this episode is for you!

Find more widow support in the Widow 180 Workbook Series at https://www.widow180.com/workbooks

Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927

Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/

Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ

For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com

Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com

Why do friends and family stop calling, texting, or checking in after you've lost your spouse?

While every grief journey is unique, so many widows and widowers experience the pain of disappearing support just a few months after their loss. What starts as an outpouring of sympathy, calls, texts, and casseroles too often fades into quiet and isolation. This period of time, known as “the grief desert,” is a time when the world moves on, but you are left still coping with immense loss.

In this episode we talk about 3 practical and compassionate pieces of advice:

1. Permission to Reach Out: It’s perfectly okay to make the first move! Grief often tricks us into thinking we’re a burden, but being specific about your needs can open doors and invite support back in!
2. Find Your People: Seek out others who understand your experience, like the Widow 180 Facebook group!
3. Create Small Rituals & Routines: Small routines can help anchor you when everything else feels uncertain.

Even though the quiet is overwhelming, you are not forgotten!

Whether you’re new to the Widow 180 community or have been on this journey for a while, this episode is a compassionate, real-world guide to navigating the loneliness of grief when outside support grows scarce.

Share this episode with someone who needs reassurance that they are not alone and that brighter days—though different—are still ahead!

Get the Widow 180 Workbook, Overcoming Loneliness, here: https://www.widow180.com/loneliness

Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927

Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/

Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ

For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com

Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com

"Don’t give up. Allow yourself to breathe, laugh, and dream again. Healing is possible, and you are not alone." ~Mary Henderson

Mary Henderson sits down with us this week for an honest, heartfelt conversation about love, loss, and rebuilding life after unimaginable grief. She shares the traumatic story of losing her husband during the COVID pandemic, the raw challenges of navigating grief, and the struggle to rediscover her self-worth and identity.

Mary opens up about:

~ moving through anger and numbness, and still leaning on faith

~journaling to find her identity after wondering "Who am I now?"

~having an amazing therapist to guide her through grief

~daring to dream again!

~ building a house in Honduras

~starting a blog called "Dream Big, Girl" to encourage women

~writing faith-filled romance novels that always have a happy ending!

If you are in the early stages of grief or feeling lost, you’ll find inspiration, practical advice, and a message of hope here. Mary Henderson offers encouragement to take your “stone” from the floodwaters of pain and carry it to healing—reminding listeners that joy and purpose can be found again, and you are never truly alone.

You can reach Mary at www.maryhendersonauthor.com

Her blog is "Dream Big, Girl"

Widow 180 Resources and all Widow 180 Workbooks can be found at www.widow180.com/workbooks

Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927

Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/

Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ

For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com

Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com

Welcome to this first ever Widow 180 roundtable discussion! We are bringing together an inspiring group of guests to explore the deeply personal process of rebuilding life after loss. Pam (4 years widowed), Becky (4 years widowed) and MaryBeth (14 years widowed), all bravely come forward today to share their unique stories of grief, resilience, rediscovering joy, and picking up the pieces of their shattered lives.

The conversation covers:

• The overwhelming early days of widowhood and shifting from survival mode to finding purpose
• Moments that signaled the start of healing and concrete steps taken towards rebuilding
• The challenge of moving from "we" to "me" and discovering identity apart from marriage
• Creating new traditions, making bold life changes, and the power of community
• The importance of patience, courage, daily gratitude, and grace on the journey forward!

You will hear honest accounts of building new lives, facing uncertainty with bravery, honoring loved ones, and finding hope after heartbreak.

If you’re new to widowhood or feeling stuck in the messy middle of grief, this episode offers comfort, validation, and tangible tools for taking the next step!

Resources and groups mentioned in this episode:

• Check out Pam's group at www.widowswhowine.com
• Louisville Widow and Widowers Meetup (meetup.com)
• Pam's Book: Where's the Key to the Safe?

Remember - You’re not alone—listen in for wisdom, laughter, and solidarity on the road to rebuilding after loss.

Check out the Widow 180 Workbook Series at https://www.widow180.com/workbooks

Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927

Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/

Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ

For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com

Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com

Get ready for an episode that’s as heartwarming as it is inspiring! In this week’s Widow 180 episode, I sit down with widow, author, and death doula Jackie Disch. Jackie takes us on a deeply personal journey through the loss of her beloved wife, Katie, during the pandemic.

You’ll hear Jackie open up about:

• becoming a caregiver in the isolating days of lockdown
• navigating the practical “business side” of grief and the agony of probate!
• learning how to honor both her pain and her partner's memory, by creating the time and space to grieve, like a 10 day writing retreat!
• how studying as a death midwife prepared her (in surprising ways!) for their final days together.
• why she’s a lifelong advocate for therapy
• how she wrote the book In Losing Katie: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Living Grief.
• how little steps—like the simple act of moving a dirty dish to the sink—can help you slowly find your way forward after loss.

Plus, Jackie talks about the power of intention, the signs she believes showed her a new path, and the courage it took to start anew in a place she and Katie once dreamed of retiring.

If you’re navigating grief, wondering what “moving forward” looks like, or just want to hear a beautiful story about love and resilience, this episode is for you!

Tune in for validation, hope, and a reminder that you’re not alone—grief changes us, but it also makes room for strength we never knew we had.

Find Jackie’s book and connect with her at https://www.jackieldisch.com.

Find all of the Widow 180 Workbooks for help with loneliness, confidence, purpose, guilt, new grief, and much more! Go to www.widow180.com/workbooks

Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927

Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/

Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ

For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com

Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com

Have you found yourself wondering, "Am I doing this right?" or "Is what I feel normal?" after losing your spouse? You're not alone — and this episode is for you.

Grief after losing a husband or wife is unlike almost any other loss. The silence in the house. The missing half of every plan. The strange, disorienting feeling of moving through the world as "I" when you were "we" for so long.

It's exhausting, confusing, and deeply isolating — and so many widows and widowers are quietly asking the same question: Am I going to be okay?

In this episode, we answer that question — not with empty reassurance, but with 5 real, honest signs that you are healing, even on the days it doesn't feel like it.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why showing up — even in the smallest ways — is an act of extraordinary strength
• How grief feels less consuming over time - and that's a sign of healing
• Reaching out to others is a sign of healing
• Why imagining even a small future is more powerful than you think
• And why everything you're feeling right now makes complete sense

Whether you lost your spouse recently or years ago, whether you're having a hard week or just need someone to remind you that you're not broken — this episode will meet you exactly where you are!

Friend, you are going to be okay!

Get the Widow 180 workbook series: https://www.widow180.com/workbooks

Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927

Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/

Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ

For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com

Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com

Tammy and Bob Cranston join us on the podcast and open up about the tragedies that changed their lives—& the unexpected journey that brought them together!

This episode is packed with wisdom on intentional grieving, goal-setting, and moving forward at your own pace—whether that means finding love again, creating new adventures, or embracing purpose in unexpected ways.

Highlights include:

• Their individual journeys through spousal loss and support systems
• Meeting in a bereavement group and the importance of intentional healing
• The pivotal role of goal-setting and adventure (like biking all 50 states!)
• Navigating family relationships and the realities of blended families
• Their passion for helping others on the grief journey through writing, volunteering, and education

Check out their website for more resources, blog posts, and information about their books—including The Blank Journal and Tammy’s award-winning children’s series on loss

Visit: www.tammycranston.com

To be a guest and join one of our roundtable podcast episodes, email me at jen@widow180.com

Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927

Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/

Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ

For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com

Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com

Join me as we sit down with the incredible Elle Davis—a mother, widow, professor, writer, and TEDx speaker! Elle bravely shares her deeply personal journey of the sudden loss of her husband Paul and the raw aftermath that followed as she navigated single motherhood with a toddler.

Together Elle and I dive into the realities of widowhood:

~coping with overwhelming grief and parenting challenges

~finding support in friends and family

~grappling with identity after loss

~ seeking therapy for healing

~ difficult conversations with children about grief

~ struggles with guilt and societal expectations.

Elle also introduces her inspiring framework, "The Art of the Bounce Back," sharing how journaling, therapy, and building small routines helped her cultivate resilience and gradually rebuild a life she loves. This episode explores themes of choosing to move forward, the importance of community, the complexities of grief triggers, and the power of living fully, even when the future feels uncertain.

If you're looking for honest wisdom, compassionate storytelling, and tangible hope for life after loss, this conversation will lift and encourage you!

Don’t forget your pen and paper—you’ll want to take notes on resilience, healing, and the art of bouncing back.

You can find Elle on her website at https://www.elledavisspeaks.com

Be sure to join our Facebook group, Widow 180 The Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312036956454927

Also follow us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/widow_180/

Check us out on YouTube at Widow 180: The Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DK_dl31qMilJ5cE6t9MVQ

For more blog posts and resources go to www.widow180.com

Questions? Email me at jen@widow180.com