In this final episode of season four, I take some time to reflect on the journey we’ve been on together and what this season has taught me about healing after loss.
Over the past few months I’ve spoken to so many incredible people who’ve shared their stories with such honesty and courage. I’ve also had my own moments of reflection, especially as I reach ten years since Simon died. My connection with him continues to evolve in beautiful ways, and I’ve come to understand that healing isn’t about moving on but about going deeper into ourselves, into life, and into love.
I talk about what I’ve learned through this year’s grief retreats at Tofte Manor, the extraordinary women I’ve met, and a powerful moment of truth that reminded me how gratitude and growth can exist within grief. I share why I believe that life after loss can hold meaning, joy and purpose again, and how the gifts that come from our pain can become the foundation for a new and peaceful chapter.
We explore:
What it really means to go deeper into healing
How community and shared stories help us feel less alone
The evolving connection we have with the people we’ve lost
Why transformation and gratitude are key to long-term healing
The lessons from Toft Manor and the courage to speak our truth
How joy, love and grief can all coexist
For More Support:
The Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership
Coaching and retreats: karensutton.co.uk
--------
37:10
--------
37:10
Life Beyond Loss: Discovering Yourself Again
In this episode of The Widow Podcast, I'm joined by Debbie Dawson, mentor, retreat supporter and treasured community member, to talk about life beyond loss and what it truly means to live fully again after grief.
Debbie shares her widow journey from joining the community in 2020, two and a half years after losing her husband suddenly in 2018, to where she is now, seven years on and living with a sense of freedom, purpose and excitement about the future she never thought possible. We explore how the shift from grief work to life work happened through Vibrant Living and the transformative Rise and Renew retreat, and why discovering hidden parts of yourself after loss can be both surprising and liberating.
We discuss:
The transition from surviving to thriving and living fully after widowhood
How Vibrant Living and Rise and Renew created profound shifts in healing
Discovering that it's a new connection with yourself, not just reconnection
Moving from "second best life" to "my best life" as a widow
Living with conscious intent and presence after losing your partner
Why grief and life journeys become intertwined rather than separate
The power of widow community, energy and being under one roof
Finding permission to live without fear of the future
Building trust in your inner compass after loss
Creating a legacy you're proud of
It's an uplifting conversation about transformation, self-discovery, rebuilding after loss, and the beautiful truth that anything is possible when you're ready to do the work.
For More Support:
The Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership
Coaching and retreats: karensutton.co.uk
--------
1:45:01
--------
1:45:01
Investing In Yourself After Loss
In this episode of The Widow Podcast, I talk with Orla Blackburn, holistic widow guide, yoga teacher and mother, about what it really means to invest in yourself after loss.
Orla shares how, seven years on from losing her husband, she’s found strength and self-belief through journaling, movement and meditation. We explore how yoga helped her reconnect with her body and emotions, how she’s learned to regulate her nervous system while parenting a neurodivergent child, and why small, consistent steps can lead to deep transformation.
We discuss:
• How grief and identity evolve over time
• Why investing in yourself is an essential part of healing
• The role of movement, journaling and mindfulness in recovery
• Parenting and self-regulation through grief
• The power of community and accountability
• Rebuilding confidence, purpose and peace after loss
It’s a grounded, compassionate conversation about healing and rediscovering who you are when life changes forever.
For More Support:
The Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership
Coaching and retreats: karensutton.co.uk
--------
1:19:18
--------
1:19:18
Finding Hope in the Aftermath of Suicide Loss
In this episode of The Widow Podcast, I speak to Sam Southern, suicide prevention and bereavement manager at Solace at Empowerment Charity in Blackpool. Sam shares her personal story of losing her husband Glen to suicide in June 2020, during the height of the COVID pandemic. He was 46 years old, and together they had six children, the youngest just two and five at the time.
Sam talks about the shock and trauma of losing a partner to suicide, the complex grief that followed, and the stigma that still surrounds suicide loss. She also explains how blogging her experiences online became an unexpected lifeline, connecting her with others who truly understood. Today, that same community spirit drives her professional work supporting people bereaved by suicide.
In this conversation, we discuss:
• The unique challenges of grieving a partner lost to suicide, including guilt, anger, and unanswered questions
• How stigma and silence around suicide complicate grief and isolate families
• Why asking directly about suicidal thoughts can be a powerful step in prevention
• The importance of peer support and online communities in surviving loss
• How language matters – why saying “died by suicide” helps reduce stigma
• Suicide statistics in the UK, and why more awareness and training are urgently needed
Sam’s openness helps break the silence around suicide bereavement and offers comfort to those facing similar heartbreak. Her story is a reminder that connection and conversation can save lives.
For More Support:
The Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership
Coaching and retreats: karensutton.co.uk
Solace at Empowerment Charity: empowermentcharity.org.uk
Follow Sam on Instagram: @sammysuns
--------
1:10:13
--------
1:10:13
Meghan Riordan Jarvis: What No One Teaches Us About Loss
In this episode of The Widow Podcast, I’m joined by Meghan Riordan Jarvis, trauma trained psychotherapist, grief and loss specialist, TEDx speaker, and host of Grief is My Side Hustle. Meghan is also the author of End of the Hour and Can Anyone Tell Me, and creator of the Grief Mentor Method.
Meghan’s story is both professional and deeply personal. After the loss of her father to cancer and the sudden death of her mother just two years later, she found herself plunged into a level of grief that no amount of training had prepared her for. Checking herself into inpatient care, she came face to face with the reality that most of us are never taught what to do with grief, even those who are supposed to help.
In this conversation, we explore: • Why therapists are often not trained in grief, and what that means for those seeking support • The difference between “normal” grief and when grief becomes traumatic • How unresolved grief shapes our lives and sense of connection • The six core components of the Grief Mentor Method, and why movement, nourishment, and ritual matter • Learning to tolerate grief as energy in the body rather than something to “fix” • Why we need cultural change around grief education, support, and bereavement
Meghan’s honesty about her own breakdown and recovery is powerful. She challenges the myths we are told about grief and shows how truth, embodiment, and simple practices can open a way forward.
For More Support:The Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membershipCoaching and retreats: karensutton.co.uk
The Widow Podcast is for people experiencing the loss of a life partner, who are looking for hope and support whilst navigating their way through this traumatic life event. If you're feeling stressed, anxious, confused, as if you're just existing day by day or you've felt isolated, disconnected and lonely in widowhood and want to find ways to manage your grief more positively, this podcast is for you.
Hosted by Karen Sutton, The Widow Coach, widow and mum. She'll share the emotional and practical ways to come through the trauma and take steps to begin to thrive. This is the show for you to learn how to accept your emotions, gain a sense of hope and give yourself permission to create a life of peace and balance. You'll discover coping strategies and personal development tools that take you from those dark places to much brighter days. We understand your grieving process and the pressures of bereavement here at The Widow Podcast.
UK