Sisterhood Through Grief

In this episode, all 6 of the women discuss what Elisabeth Kubler-Ross called the 5th Stage of Grief: Acceptance. We speak from our own experiences of grief in a support-group like format to help those who are experiencing loss. We understand the journey and time it takes to find a new normal. Our podcast can bring about feelings of hope and validation to ease the pain of grief.

This episode is one that can help not only someone who is experiencing grief, but also those who are looking to help console someone who is going through grief.  Not knowing what to say or do when you want to help someone who is grieving can be hard and uncomfortable.  This episode may provide insight and advice on how to best help.

It is important to understand that the depression stage of grief is not a sign of mental illness. This stage feels like it will last forever. This episode Ami and Christina discuss how they worked through their depression from their losses and offer advise and wisdom on this often lonely and intensely sad period.

In this episode, Ami, Christina, and Melanie discuss the 3rd Stage of Grief...Bargaining. The stages are not necessarily linear. Spoken from personal experiences, the conversation can help provide understanding, support, and hope to anyone going through the grief journey.

Elisabeth Kubler Ross breaks down grief into 5 stages. This episode is Stage 2...Anger. This podcast episode is hosted by Kris and Patti, who discuss their experiences during this stage and how they managed their anger.

The first of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's Five Stages of Grief is Denial. In this episode, Ami and Christina discuss candidly and honestly what this state of being in denial looked like to them, how it felt, and how they went about dealing with this stage. For anyone suffering from the loss of a loved one, this episode can provide validation and confirm one's feelings, which will hopefully lead to some healing.

In this episode, Ami, Christina, and Melanie discuss the balancing of holding on to traditions and creating a new normal. It can be painful to continue doing things the same way as before your loss, but it can be difficult when the time comes to make a change. The raw and honest conversations can help bring someone, going through grief, some validation and advise to help in their healing.

Three years out sounds like a long time; for someone grieving, they may not be able to comprehend their life at the 3-year mark.  In this episode, Ami, Brenda, and Christina discuss the "third year" and what that can look like. Always honest, raw, and empathic, our support group-like conversations hopefully deliver hope and support to anyone suffering the loss of a loved one.

Like all holidays, Mother's Day can be especially tough, when you are both the Mother and Father to your children, due to the death of a spouse. This episode discusses the feelings that arise on Mothers Day, while you are grieving, and thoughts on how to get through the day. I am trying to get this episode out for Mothers' Day, so if you might be able to turn around the editing quickly, I would appreciate it.

"Moving too fast, moving too slow, getting stuck, move on", and other comments that are often made in regards to how someone is handling their grief. In this episode, Ami, Brenda, Christina, and Melanie discuss how everyone's grief is personal and on one's on time. If you have heard this about yourself or thought this about someone grieving, this episode can help you understand the grief process and the pressures around it.

In this episode, Kris, Melanie, and Patti discuss the differences between the pain from divorce and the loss of a spouse. Many times, people compare divorce with spousal loss, where in fact they are NOT the same.

In this episode, Ami and Christina welcome Jan, who lost his wife to cancer, to discuss the similarities and differences in the female/male grieving process.The candid, raw, and heartfelt conversation covers the importance of support from others, offers advice for men going through grief, and other topics that may provide an understanding that promotes hope and healing.

It may seem like an impossible task to find gratitude when you are in your darkest moments. In this episode, Ami and Christina discuss the benefits of finding gratitude, how to recognize the good things in your life, and how this practice helps change your path towards healing.  Speaking from their own experiences and sharing what they have learned can provided listeners with understanding and support during their time of grieving a loved one.

Having support during your grief journey is priceless. For the first time, the Sisterhood welcomes a guest in this episode. Patrice Austin was the Executive Director and facilitator at Hearts and Hope, the grief support group where the Sisterhood met. Patrice states that while others may be in a different stage of their grief or experiencing a different type of loss, the major connection is pain. Witnessing other's pain and grief-journey provides understanding, empathy, and healing.

The million-dollar question is when to date and/or to date or not to date.  In this episode, Ami, Brenda, and Christina discuss their experiences regarding the dilemma around dating after the loss of a spouse.  Informative and honest, the women speak about the guilt, pressure and other factors they were confronted with when they considered dating again.

In this episode, Ami, Christina, and Kris discuss how friendships change during the grief process.  It was surprising to find, how along with life situations changing, many of the friendships, that we thought were forever, changed too.  But, at the same time, new friendships developed that are just as meaningful and special. The women speak openly and honestly about their experiences in hopes that whoever is experiencing grief may feel the understanding and empathy that comes with knowing that others can relate and have survived this journey. 

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross has Anger as the 2nd Stage of Grief. While anger is a very uncomfortable emotion, it is one that you must go through while grieving to get to healing. In this episode, Ami, Christina, Kris, and Melanie discuss how they experienced and dealt with their anger in a raw, honest, informative, and even humorous way. 

One emotionally daunting decision that is eventually tackled is figuring out what to do with the deceased's things. When should you pack up the belongings; what should you do with the things; and can you part with the sentimental items, are all discussed in this episode: Packing Up Their Things. Ami, Melanie, and Patti discuss their experiences in hopes to support anyone encountering this challenging situation.

Adjusting to a new normal is part of the grief journey. Ami and Christina discuss how they navigated their new lives and provide advice and ideas to help create a new existence.  Sometimes knowing others are going through your same pain is a priceless gift.  Empathy and validation can provide healing for anyone suffering a loss.

In this episode, Ami, Christina, Kris and Melanie discuss the challenges, expectations and assumptions that can come about in the second year of grief.  In a support group-like format, the women offer truth of their experiences and empathetic advice on how to continue to manage grief after the 1st year.  Whether you are on the journey of grief or you are looking to help someone with their journey, this episode can provide hope, understanding and advice to ease the pain.

When you suffer the loss of a loved one, it can be hard to find solace in God or Faith. In this episode, Ami, Christina, Kris, and Patti discuss the ways they came to find their faith again after tragic losses and how that impacted their healing. A group therapy-like conversation that offers support, understanding, compassion, and advice regarding the journey through grief.

This episode, Things We Do For Ourselves, Ami and Melanie discuss the importance of self-care and self-love while going through the journey of grief.  This informative and vulnerable conversation offers ideas, advice, and support for those suffering from a loss.

This episode, Ami, Christina, and Melanie discuss how it feels to be labeled a "widow" or as they say, the "W" word.  The discussion is funny, helpful, and can provide understanding and hope for anyone who is on a journey of grief.

Dealing with the death of a spouse is already an unbearable feat, then when you add having to tell and nurture young children, the pain of grief multiplies. In this episode, Ami, Brenda, and Christina discuss their approaches when they were faced with telling their children their daddy was gone.  The women also offer advice and provide hope to those who may be on the same journey.

The conversations between Ami, Brenda, and Kris expose the true feelings one experiences during the process of grief.  Since a common coping mechanism is to "wear a mask" to hide your pain, most people cannot understand or comprehend what a person, who is deeply grieving, is experiencing.  The women share their heartfelt stories of what they were really feeling and offer hope and advice on how to ease the pain.

After-Death Communication or Signs are a common phenomenon.  This episode, Ami, Christina, Kris, and Patti share their experiences and the overwhelming joy and sense of hope that they received from their loved ones through signs.  These phenomenal and heart-warming confessions are the confirmation to the women, that their husbands' love is eternal.

Father's Day, after you have lost your husband and the father of your children, is stressful and hard.  On this episode, Ami, Christina, and Melanie, discuss how they got through the day and what they did to still honor and memorialize their spouse on Father's Day.  A heartfelt and honest conversation that is similar to a support group therapy session.

Knowing what to say to someone, who is going through the journey of grief, is often tough and nerve-wracking.  In this episode, Brenda, Christina, and Kris confer about the outrageous things that people have said to them.  This shocking, funny, and bluntly honest conversation will help listeners understand the appropriate and inappropriate things to say to someone who is experiencing loss. 

This raw, honest, and heartfelt podcast is a conversation between Ami, Brenda, and Patti.  They discuss how things were at the beginning of their grief. From processing the news of their spouse's deaths to applying for social security and more.

Sisterhood Through Grief is a collaborative group of women, who lost their spouses and bonded during a grief support group. This 1st Episode is an introduction to each of the women and a brief explanation of their personal loss. It also contains raw, honest and heartfelt conversations on how they felt, what they encountered, how they survived, and more, in the beginning of their journey of grief. For someone who is suffering a loss, this may validate what you are going through. The goal is to provide empathy, comfort, and hope by confirming that someone knows how you feel.