386. How to Help a Grieving Friend

If you've ever wondered how to help a grieving friend, this episode is for you. Most of us want to support the people we love when they're grieving, but we were never taught what grief actually looks like or how to respond when someone is hurting. In this episode, I explain why grief affects so much more than emotions, why the five stages of grief aren't a roadmap, and why there's no timeline for moving forward after loss. We'll talk about the secondary losses that often accompany the death of a spouse, why well-intentioned comments can feel dismissive, and how to be present with someone's pain without trying to make it go away. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/386 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/Mentioned in this episode:Join my free live class, The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually WorksWant to understand why you still feel stuck even after doing everything you're “supposed” to do in grief? The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually Works, is where I'll show you what actually helps widows move forward and start feeling like themselves again. Save your seat at: https://the-widowed-mom-podcast.captivate.fm/freeclassThe Thriving Widow Blueprint

When your husband dies, you may expect grief to affect your emotions, but what happens when it also affects your ability to think? Maybe you're forgetting things, struggling to concentrate, or second-guessing decisions that used to feel easy. If that sounds familiar, I want you to know that you're not alone. In this episode, I'm talking about widow fog, why grief can impact your memory and concentration, and what you can do to support yourself when your brain just won't cooperate. We'll explore practical ways to reduce your mental load, why settling your nervous system can be more helpful than trying to think harder, and how to recognize which decisions can wait. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/385 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/Mentioned in this episode:Join my free live class, The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually WorksWant to understand why you still feel stuck even after doing everything you're “supposed” to do in grief? The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually Works, is where I'll show you what actually helps widows move forward and start feeling like themselves again. Save your seat at: https://the-widowed-mom-podcast.captivate.fm/freeclassThe Thriving Widow Blueprint

Dating after your person dies can feel incredibly unfamiliar, especially if the last time you dated was decades ago. In this episode, I answer seven of the questions I hear most often about widows and dating, from how to know when you're ready to whether there is such a thing as dating too soon. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/384 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/Mentioned in this episode:Join my free live class, The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually WorksWant to understand why you still feel stuck even after doing everything you're “supposed” to do in grief? The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually Works, is where I'll show you what actually helps widows move forward and start feeling like themselves again. Save your seat at: https://the-widowed-mom-podcast.captivate.fm/freeclassThe Thriving Widow Blueprint

Making big decisions in the first year of widowhood can feel especially overwhelming when grief has affected your concentration, confidence, and sense of certainty. In this episode, I’m challenging the common advice that widows should avoid all major decisions for a full year after their person dies. Sometimes waiting is helpful, and sometimes life requires you to decide sooner. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/383 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/Mentioned in this episode:Join my free live class, The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually WorksWant to understand why you still feel stuck even after doing everything you're “supposed” to do in grief? The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually Works, is where I'll show you what actually helps widows move forward and start feeling like themselves again. Save your seat at: https://the-widowed-mom-podcast.captivate.fm/freeclassThe Thriving Widow Blueprint

If you're having thoughts about self-harm, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional. Call or text 988 to get in touch with the Suicide and Crisis Line. If you’ve ever wondered whether what you’re feeling is grief, depression, or both, this episode is for you. I’m breaking down why grief and depression can look so similar, including changes in sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, motivation, and connection. I’ll also share some general patterns professionals may consider, such as grief that comes in waves versus a more persistent low mood or hopelessness. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/382 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/Mentioned in this episode:Join my free live class, The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually WorksWant to understand why you still feel stuck even after doing everything you're “supposed” to do in grief? The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually Works, is where I'll show you what actually helps widows move forward and start feeling like themselves again. Save your seat at: https://the-widowed-mom-podcast.captivate.fm/freeclassThe Thriving Widow Blueprint

Can you really die of a broken heart? In this episode, I’m looking at the science behind that question, including the widowhood effect and the real medical condition known as broken heart syndrome, or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/381 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/Mentioned in this episode:Join my free live class, The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually WorksWant to understand why you still feel stuck even after doing everything you're “supposed” to do in grief? The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually Works, is where I'll show you what actually helps widows move forward and start feeling like themselves again. Save your seat at: https://the-widowed-mom-podcast.captivate.fm/freeclassThe Thriving Widow Blueprint

If you knew your person was going to die, you may have expected the loss to feel different because you had time to prepare. In this episode, I’m talking about anticipatory grief: the grief that can begin before a death fully occurs. We’ll look at the losses that happen during illness, decline, and caregiving, from changing roles and intimacy to the future you thought you would share. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/380 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/Mentioned in this episode:Join my free live class, The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually WorksWant to understand why you still feel stuck even after doing everything you're “supposed” to do in grief? The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually Works, is where I'll show you what actually helps widows move forward and start feeling like themselves again. Save your seat at: https://the-widowed-mom-podcast.captivate.fm/freeclassThe Thriving Widow Blueprint

In this episode, I’m talking about survivor's guilt and why it can show up in widowhood, sometimes when you least expect it. You might wonder why you get to keep living, laughing, traveling, watching your kids grow, or creating a future when your person can’t. And sometimes, those thoughts get even louder when life starts feeling better.I’ll explain why guilt can create an illusion of control, how counterfactual thinking keeps us stuck in the woulda, shoulda, couldas, and why enjoying your life does not mean you’re leaving your person behind. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/379 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/Mentioned in this episode:Join my free live class, The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually WorksWant to understand why you still feel stuck even after doing everything you're “supposed” to do in grief? The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually Works, is where I'll show you what actually helps widows move forward and start feeling like themselves again. Save your seat at: https://the-widowed-mom-podcast.captivate.fm/freeclassThe Thriving Widow Blueprint

In this episode, I sit down with Anne Chillman, a widowed mom whose husband, Chili, died suddenly of a heart attack in 2022. Anne shares what the first years after sudden loss looked like for her and her two daughters, including the shock, the secondary losses, the pressure to hold everything together, and the challenge of making decisions without her partner. Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.coachingwithkrista.com/378 Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifecoachkrista/Mentioned in this episode:Join my free live class, The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually WorksWant to understand why you still feel stuck even after doing everything you're “supposed” to do in grief? The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually Works, is where I'll show you what actually helps widows move forward and start feeling like themselves again. Save your seat at: https://the-widowed-mom-podcast.captivate.fm/freeclassThe Thriving Widow Blueprint

I have something brand new I want to invite you to. It’s a free live class called The Thriving Widow Blueprint: Why Conventional Grief Advice Fails and What Actually Works.If you’ve read the books, listened to the podcasts, tried therapy or a grief group, stayed busy, given it time, and you still feel stuck, this class is for you.So much of what we’ve been taught about grief is outdated or incomplete, and when it doesn’t work, widows often assume they’re the problem. You might wonder if you’re grieving wrong, if you should be further along, or if this is simply what life is going to feel like now.In this class, I’ll show you why some of the most common grief advice can keep you spinning, what the five stages of grief never taught us, and the difference between a grief problem and a you problem. Most importantly, I’ll teach you what actually helps you move forward and start feeling like yourself again.The Thriving Widow Blueprint is completely free and live. Save your seat here: https://the-widowed-mom-podcast.captivate.fm/freeclass