In this episode of The Widow’s Collective Podcast, Lauren explores one of the most confusing and challenging aspects of grief: the feeling of taking steps forward only to be pulled back by unexpected waves of pain.

If you’ve ever thought you were “healing” and then been hit with intense grief out of nowhere, this episode is for you. Lauren guides you through:

• The Moment It Hits – Recognizing the small triggers and unexpected waves that can bring grief rushing back.
• The Story We Tell Ourselves – How self-judgment can amplify grief and what it really means when we feel like we’re “regressing.”
• Grief Doesn’t Move in Straight Lines – Understanding the non-linear nature of grief and how waves of intensity are part of moving forward.
• Revisiting vs. Regression – Why revisiting old feelings doesn’t mean failure, and how to honor your progress.
• Why Grief Feels So Convincing – The physiological and emotional reasons grief hits hard, even after you’ve moved through earlier layers.
• The Reframe – Gentle questions and practices to respond to intense emotions with compassion rather than judgment.
• Progress in Grief – How to see progress in subtle, quiet ways rather than as a straight line.
• A Moment of Grounding – Practical exercises to pause, breathe, and reconnect with yourself when grief feels overwhelming.

💛 Key Takeaway:
Grief isn’t a linear path, and every wave—gentle or fierce—is part of the process of moving forward. Feeling pulled back doesn’t erase your progress; it deepens your capacity to love, live, and carry your loss with presence and self-compassion.

Whether you’re navigating daily grief, sudden triggers, or the ongoing tension of life after loss, this episode offers compassion, perspective, and practical guidance for moving forward—even when it feels like twenty steps back.