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