The Widow's Collective

Lauren Lentz

The Widow’s Collective is where grief meets hope, healing, and community. Hosted by grief coach and widow, Lauren Lentz, each episode offers tender reflections, real conversations, and practical tools to help you navigate life after loss. Whether you’re in the depths of early grief or learning to reimagine your life in the “after,” you’ll find a gentle space to land here — one that honors your story, your pace, and your humanity.

  1. 4d ago

    EPISODE 36: "Will My Child Be Ruined By This?" - Parenting Through Grief After Loss with Jessica Correnti

    One of the biggest fears many widowed parents carry after the death of a spouse is this: "Will my child be ruined by this?" When your child loses a parent, it's natural to worry about what this loss will mean for them long-term. Who will they become because of this experience? What will they carry forward? How do you help them navigate something so enormous while you're grieving too? In this final episode of Season 1, I sit down with grief specialist, Certified Child Life Specialist, author, and bereaved mother Jessica Correnti to have an honest conversation about parenting through grief after the death of a spouse. Together, they explore the fears grieving parents carry, what children actually need after loss, how grief shows up differently in children, and why parents don't need to be perfect to support their child well. In This Episode, We Discuss: Why so many widowed parents fear their child will be permanently damaged by the lossThe most common worries grieving parents carry after the death of a spouseWhether it's okay for children to see a parent cry and grieveThe difference between healthy emotional expression and emotional overwhelmWhat emotional repair looks like when difficult moments happenHow children regain a sense of safety after lossWhat children need most from the surviving parentHow children grieve differently from adults and from one anotherSupporting children with different grief stylesCommon misconceptions about grief in childrenSigns a child may benefit from additional supportHelpful grief resources and therapeutic approaches for childrenWhat every widowed parent deserves to know about navigating grief with their childAbout Jessica Correnti Jessica Correnti is a Certified Child Life Specialist, grief specialist, author, educator, and bereaved mother with nearly two decades of experience supporting children and families through illness, trauma, and loss. After years working in pediatric hospital settings, Jessica founded Kids Grief Support, where she provides grief education, resources, and support to families around the world. She is the author of several children's grief books, including The ABCs of Grief series and Forever Connected. Her work has been featured in Oprah Daily, People Magazine, CNBC, and other national publications. Connect with Jessica Website: Kidsgriefsupport Instagram: @kidsgriefsupport Books: The ABCs of Grief  & Forever Connected A Final Reflection If you're a widowed parent carrying the fear that you're somehow "messing this up," this episode is for you. Your child does not need a perfect grieving parent. They need a connected one. Someone who keeps showing up. Someone who repairs when needed. Someone who makes space for feelings. Someone who continues loving them through the hardest season of their lives. And that may be far more powerful than you realize. Thank you for being part of Season 1 of The Widow's Collective. Big hugs and lots of love, Lauren

    55 min

  2. May 28

    Episode 35: Learning To Trust Yourself Again After Loss

    After the death of a spouse, many widows don’t just lose the person they love — they also lose their sense of safety, predictability, and trust in themselves. In this episode, we explore the invisible ways grief impacts self-trust and why loss can leave widows feeling hypervigilant, emotionally unsteady, fearful of future pain, and disconnected from their own inner voice. We discuss: • Why widowhood disrupts your relationship with safety and certainty • The nervous system’s response to trauma & loss • Hypervigilance, overthinking, and emotional preparedness after grief • Fear of future loss, attachment, and vulnerability • The impact grief can have on parenting fears and emotional safety • Why grief can make it difficult to trust your emotions • The quiet ways self-trust slowly begins rebuilding over time • Learning to stay connected to yourself inside uncertainty This episode is a compassionate conversation for the widow who feels exhausted from carrying fear, second-guessing herself, or wondering why she can no longer trust herself as she did before.  Big hugs, and lots of love. -Lauren To Connect With Me Follow along on Instagram: @imsorrywerefriends For More Information About Support Head over to: LaurenLentz.com Or Book a free Discovery Call by emailing me: lauren@imsorrywerefriends.com

    27 min

  3. May 21

    EPISODE 34: “The Pressure To Do Grief ‘Right’"

    So many grieving women quietly carry the pressure to do widowhood “correctly.” To cope correctly. To heal correctly. To move forward correctly. To parent correctly. To honor their person correctly. But grief is not a performance. And widowhood is not something you master perfectly. In this episode, we explore the invisible expectations many widows carry after the death of a spouse — the pressure to stay strong, stay productive, appear functional, and somehow navigate profound loss in a way that feels acceptable to both themselves and the outside world. We discuss: • Why so many grieving people monitor and judge themselves after loss • How conditioning around emotions and productivity impacts widowhood • The nervous system’s search for safety after trauma and uncertainty • Why grief feels so contradictory and emotionally unpredictable • The hidden exhaustion behind “high functioning” grief • The quiet ways comparison and self-measurement show up in widowhood • Why functioning does not mean someone is okay • The difference between survival mode and healing • Why grief resurfaces in waves — even years later • Releasing the pressure to carry grief perfectly This episode is a reminder that there is no gold star for grieving “well.” There is no perfect timeline. No perfectly measured way to heal. No flawless way to carry profound loss. There is only your way. And maybe part of healing is learning how to meet yourself with more gentleness while living inside a life that changed everything. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with another widow who may need this reminder today. With love, Lauren To Connect With Me Follow along on Instagram: @imsorrywerefriends For More Information About Support Head over to: LaurenLentz.com Or Book a free Discovery Call by emailing me: lauren@imsorrywerefriends.com

    24 min

  4. May 14

    EPISODE 33: “The Parts of You That Existed With Him” (Identity Loss After the Death of a Spouse — Part 3)

    In this final episode of the identity loss series, we explore one of the most tender and complicated parts of grief after the death of a partner: The experience of feeling like certain parts of you only existed because they did… while also slowly realizing that there are still parts of you that remain. This conversation moves into the layered complexity of relational identity, nervous system connection, emotional safety, and the internal conflict many widows experience when they begin noticing themselves still “here” after profound loss. Together, we unpack:  Why certain relationships bring specific versions of us forward  The grief of losing not only your person, but the version of yourself that existed alongside them  Why it can feel confronting when others say “you’re still in there”  The difference between the relationally-activated self and the core self  Why identity disruption after loss can feel like an identity rupture  The emotional tension of holding contradictory truths at the same time  What it means to re-encounter yourself over time  How identity reorganizes through grief  Becoming without erasing the person you were with your partner This episode is not about “finding yourself again.” It’s about learning how to stay in relationship with yourself through the complexity of grief, change, memory, love, and becoming. If this episode brought something up for you, please know there is nothing you need to resolve quickly. You are allowed to grieve what was shaped in love… while also allowing space for what is still unfolding inside of you. Big Hugs and Lots of Love, Lauren Connect with Me Instagram: @imsorrywerefriends  1:1 Coaching + Programs: laurenlentz.com To schedule a Discovery Call, email me at lauren@imsorrywerefriends.com

    20 min

  5. May 10 ·  Bonus

    BONUS EPISODE: Mother's Day In The After

    Mother’s Day after the death of a spouse is not a simple day. It is layered. It is emotional. It is often holding multiple truths at once. In this bonus episode, we talk about what it actually means to move through Mother’s Day as a widow and a mother — where love and grief are not separate experiences, but happening side by side. We explore:  The emotional complexity of Mother’s Day after loss  Why this day can feel both tender and heavy at the same time  The missing presence of the person who once witnessed and celebrated your motherhood  How grief reshapes identity and capacity in motherhood  The lived reality of becoming both mother and father after loss  The exhaustion of holding emotional, mental, and logistical responsibility alone  The desire to retreat from a day that feels overwhelming  What it can feel like to show up for your children while in survival The guilt and fear that can surface around “not being enough” as a mother in grief  Why attachment, repair, and presence matter more than perfection  Permission to let Mother’s Day be what it actually is this year, without forcing it into something it’s not This episode is not about doing Mother’s Day “right.” It’s about naming what it actually feels like when you are mothering inside profound loss, and offering space for all of it to exist without judgment. If this resonates, you can share it with someone who may need it, or leave a review to help this work reach more grieving widowed mothers who are walking through something similar. Thank you for being here. Love, Lauren

    17 min

  6. May 7

    Episode 32: “There Is No Going Back to Normal” (Identity Loss After the Death of a Spouse — Part 2)

    In this episode, we take a deeper look at what it actually means to live inside identity loss after the death of a spouse. Because while grief is often talked about in terms of emotion—what you feel, how you process, how you “move through it”—there is another layer that doesn’t get named as often. The internal shift. The part where you don’t quite recognize yourself. Where the way you think, respond, decide, and move through the world feels different. Where the version of you that once felt familiar… no longer feels fully accessible. And at the same time, the outside world hasn’t necessarily adjusted to that change. So this episode explores the tension that can exist between those two realities. We talk about: Why the idea of “going back to normal” doesn’t actually apply after this kind of lossHow the expectation to return to a familiar version of yourself can create internal pressureWhat it can feel like to “fake it” or wear a mask in everyday interactionsThe subtle ways you may be adjusting yourself just to make connection feel possibleHow grief can begin to impact your relationships—not because you don’t care, but because your internal world has changedThe experience of social disconnection and the kind of loneliness that can exist even when you’re not physically aloneWhy well-meaning support can sometimes feel misaligned or hard to receiveThe reality that not all relationships will shift in the same way—and what that meansWhy “normal” can feel out of reach, not because you’re doing something wrong, but because the structure that created it is no longer thereIf you found yourself in this conversation—if parts of this felt familiar or hard in a way you couldn’t quite name before—you are not alone in that. If this episode resonated, you can share it with someone who may need it, or leave a review so this space can reach more women who are walking through something similar. I’m really glad you’re here. Ways to Connect & Continue the Work: If you’re looking for support as you navigate your grief, there are a few ways we can stay connected. Instagram: @imsorrywerefriends Website: www.laurenlentz.com Email: lauren@imsorrywerefriends.com On my website, you’ll find more information about my current offerings, including 1:1 grief coaching and group support containers designed specifically for women navigating the loss of a partner. These spaces are not about rushing your grief or trying to move you “forward” before you’re ready. They are about creating room for what’s actually here, and supporting you as you begin to understand and live inside a life that has fundamentally changed.

    18 min

  7. Apr 30

    Episode 31: “A Piece of Me Died When He Did” (Identity Loss After the Death of a Spouse — Part 1)

    In this first episode of the series, we’re exploring something that many widows quietly recognize but rarely have space to fully unpack: The experience of identity loss after the death of a spouse. Not just grief in the emotional sense, but the deeper internal experience of no longer recognizing yourself inside your own life. We talk about why identity rupture is not separate from grief, but part of it. How identity is shaped in relationship. What happens when the relational system you were living inside suddenly disappears. And why the nervous system, roles, and sense of self all begin to shift at the same time. For many widows, this shows up as:  “I don’t know who I am anymore.”  “I don’t recognize myself.”  “A piece of me died when he did.” This episode is about slowing all of that down and naming what is actually happening beneath the surface — not to soften it, but to better understand it. Because when we can understand what’s happening inside of us, we can stop feeling so alone in it. Work With Me / Stay Connected If this resonated with you, I would love a "like," review, or share. All ways to extend the reach of my podcast to those who need to hear it.  Stay connected: Learn more about my grief support offerings  → [laurenlentz.com] Follow along for daily grief reflections Instagram: [@imsorrywerefriends]

    21 min

  8. Apr 23

    Episode 30: The Quiet Ways Suffering Takes Root in Widowhood

    In this episode… I explore why suffering becomes such a common (and often misunderstood) part of widowhood and early grief and how it can quietly take root not just as pain, but as meaning, identity, and even connection. This is not about pathologizing grief or suggesting we “do it wrong.”  It’s about gently understanding what is actually happening beneath the surface of our experience. Because for many widows, suffering is not something we consciously choose, it is something the mind and body organize around in an attempt to make sense of profound loss. What we cover in this episode: 1. Why widowhood often feels like suffering How the loss of a spouse is not just emotional loss—but the loss of:  safety  identity  internal orientation  the life we organized ourselves around And why that creates an internal experience of disorientation that can feel like survival. 2. Why suffering can feel like connection We explore how:  the nervous system still seeks proximity after loss  pain can begin to feel like the only remaining link to the person who died  suffering can become unintentionally associated with love, devotion, and meaning And why that association is deeply human—not pathological. 3. The hidden rules that form in early grief How beliefs can quietly form such as:  “If I stop suffering, I am letting them go”  “If I feel okay, I am forgetting them”  “If I move forward, I am betraying what we had” And how these beliefs are not logical decisions, but emotional meanings formed in shock, love, and social pressure. 4. Pain vs. suffering (and why the distinction matters) We begin to separate: Pain: the raw reality of loss and longing Suffering: the story the mind creates about what that pain means And how that story can begin to shape identity, time, and the way we see our future. 5. Why suffering can feel like devotion How grief can blur into:  loyalty  love  devotion  emotional survival strategies And why “I hurt this much = I loved this much” becomes an internal equation many people unconsciously carry. 6. The deeper layer: identity after loss How grief is not only about missing someone—but also about:  missing who we were with them  losing access to versions of ourselves they brought forward  questioning who we are without that relational reflection And why these are identity-level disruptions, not just emotional ones. 7. Why this experience is not something you are doing wrong A grounding reminder that:  suffering is a human response to attachment loss  the mind is trying to organize the unorganizable  meaning-making is part of survival, not failure 8. A gentle reframe You don’t have to suffer to stay connected.  You don’t have to stay in pain to honor love. And noticing that possibility does not require change—only awareness. Closing reflection Nothing in this experience means you are broken, stuck, or grieving incorrectly. It means you loved someone in a way that shaped your entire internal world—and your mind and body are still trying to orient themselves after that loss. And over time, gently, you may begin to notice the difference between:  what hurts because it is love  and what hurts because it has become the only way you kn

    21 min
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5
out of 5
32 Ratings

About

The Widow’s Collective is where grief meets hope, healing, and community. Hosted by grief coach and widow, Lauren Lentz, each episode offers tender reflections, real conversations, and practical tools to help you navigate life after loss. Whether you’re in the depths of early grief or learning to reimagine your life in the “after,” you’ll find a gentle space to land here — one that honors your story, your pace, and your humanity.

Information

  • Creator
    Lauren Lentz
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Widow's Collective
  • Show Website
    The Widow's Collective

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