In this episode of The Widow Podcast, I speak to Sam Southern, suicide prevention and bereavement manager at Solace at Empowerment Charity in Blackpool. Sam shares her personal story of losing her husband Glen to suicide in June 2020, during the height of the COVID pandemic. He was 46 years old, and together they had six children, the youngest just two and five at the time.

Sam talks about the shock and trauma of losing a partner to suicide, the complex grief that followed, and the stigma that still surrounds suicide loss. She also explains how blogging her experiences online became an unexpected lifeline, connecting her with others who truly understood. Today, that same community spirit drives her professional work supporting people bereaved by suicide.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The unique challenges of grieving a partner lost to suicide, including guilt, anger, and unanswered questions

• How stigma and silence around suicide complicate grief and isolate families

• Why asking directly about suicidal thoughts can be a powerful step in prevention

• The importance of peer support and online communities in surviving loss

• How language matters – why saying “died by suicide” helps reduce stigma

• Suicide statistics in the UK, and why more awareness and training are urgently needed

Sam’s openness helps break the silence around suicide bereavement and offers comfort to those facing similar heartbreak. Her story is a reminder that connection and conversation can save lives.

For More Support:

The Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership

Coaching and retreats: karensutton.co.uk

Solace at Empowerment Charity: empowermentcharity.org.uk

Follow Sam on Instagram: @sammysuns

In this episode of The Widow Podcast, I’m joined by Meghan Riordan Jarvis, trauma trained psychotherapist, grief and loss specialist, TEDx speaker, and host of Grief is My Side Hustle. Meghan is also the author of End of the Hour and Can Anyone Tell Me, and creator of the Grief Mentor Method.

Meghan’s story is both professional and deeply personal. After the loss of her father to cancer and the sudden death of her mother just two years later, she found herself plunged into a level of grief that no amount of training had prepared her for. Checking herself into inpatient care, she came face to face with the reality that most of us are never taught what to do with grief, even those who are supposed to help.

In this conversation, we explore:
• Why therapists are often not trained in grief, and what that means for those seeking support
• The difference between “normal” grief and when grief becomes traumatic
• How unresolved grief shapes our lives and sense of connection
• The six core components of the Grief Mentor Method, and why movement, nourishment, and ritual matter
• Learning to tolerate grief as energy in the body rather than something to “fix”
• Why we need cultural change around grief education, support, and bereavement

Meghan’s honesty about her own breakdown and recovery is powerful. She challenges the myths we are told about grief and shows how truth, embodiment, and simple practices can open a way forward.

For More Support:
The Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership
Coaching and retreats: karensutton.co.uk

In this episode of The Widow Podcast, I’m joined by the inspiring Joan, who shares her journey of sudden loss, resilience, and finding new ways to live with purpose.

Joan lost her husband Mike unexpectedly in 2021, when she was 66. Overnight, her world changed, and with it all the plans they had made for their retirement together. Alone and uncertain, Joan found herself navigating widowhood while also adjusting to the realities of ageing, loneliness, and rebuilding life from the ground up.

What’s remarkable is the way Joan has chosen to respond. From joining a Nordic walking group to travelling solo on a sewing retreat in the French Alps, she has steadily built a new life filled with courage, community, and connection. She shows us that it’s never too late to step out of your comfort zone, try something new, and discover joy again.

In this conversation, we talk about:

• Living through the shock of sudden loss and the emptiness it leaves behind

• Facing widowhood in your late 60s and the unique challenges that brings

• Finding support through community, retreats, and friendship

• The role of hobbies, creativity, and travel in healing

• Learning to balance solitude with connection and joy

• Why it’s never about age, but about mindset, openness, and possibility

Joan’s honesty, warmth, and adventurous spirit remind us that grief reshapes us, but it doesn’t have to confine us. Her story is proof that even in the hardest circumstances, new beginnings are possible.

Awakening Hope

I’d love you to join me for Awakening Hope, a free five-day immersive experience for widows and surviving partners, running 22–26 September 2025. Together we’ll explore how to face feelings, cultivate self-compassion, and rediscover who we are after loss.

Find out more and sign up here: https://www.karensutton.co.uk/awakeninghope

For More Support:

The Widows Membership: karensutton.co.uk/the-widow-membership

Coaching and retreats: karensutton.co.uk