widowhood community Archives - Widowhood Real Talk with Dr. Tina

The Conversations About Rebuilding Life After Loss With Anita Coyle And Mel Shore

Podcast / October 8, 2026

Widowhood Real Talk with Tina | Anita Coyle and Mel Shore | Rebuilding Life After Loss

Navigating spousal loss can leave you feeling disoriented, exhausted, and completely isolated in survival mode. Rebuilding life after loss isn’t about rushing to feel okay, but about discovering compassionate space to honor your pain at your own pace. In this heartfelt conversation, host Dr. Tina Fornwald welcomes Anita and Mel, hosts of the podcast Widow We Do Now. Together, they discuss the physical reality of trauma, passive suicidality, and why dark humor often becomes a vital lifeline. They reveal practical ways to support a grieving friend without offering shallow platitudes that do more harm than good. You’ll learn how small daily choices and authentic community connections can slowly restore hope. Tune in to discover why honoring your own timeline is the kindest choice you can make today. I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World. Watch the episode here — Listen to the podcast here The Conversations About Rebuilding Life After Loss With Anita Coyle And Mel Shore The Absurdity And Camaraderie Of Early Grief This conversation is what I’ve genuinely been looking forward to. My guests have been an amazing voice in the widow community. Their show, Widow We Do Now, is amazing. These young widows have been a voice in Camp Widow, personal communities, and other things that they have been doing for widowhood. I invite you to this conversation with Mel and Anita now. Let’s get into the discussion. Mel and Anita, welcome to the widowhood. Thank you. Thank you. What’s the ticker tape on the back of welcome to the widowhood? What would be the thing that would be going on in the background in your mind? It’s like, “I’m not going to say that out loud.” Mine would be a groan. I would say, “No, thank you.” Is it, “Can I decline?” That ship has said. Is it optional? Yes. Can we unsubscribe? No one said that, but that’s what you would want. Some people try to, but you’re always widowed. If it’s happened to you, it’s happened. Now you’ve got me interested. How would some people try to unsubscribe short of taking themselves out of this world? They don’t want to participate in widowed spaces. We’ve gotten emails from people before where they’ve been guests on our podcast, which we have. They say, “Will you remove our episode because we’re no longer identifying with the widow space?” It’s happened for a couple of people. I was like, “What?” You almost derailed me. I feel like we need to have a private conversation because I have so many questions that I’m going to need a private call because I have stuff. I’m going to make this about you because I almost went someplace. Coffee or tea? N either. I like some tea. It tastes like grass. It depends on the tea. It all does. Anita, have you had boba milk tea? You might like that. It’s all sugar. I like it, except for the tea undertone makes it taste like grass. She’s stronger than grass. The bobas are like little boogers slurping down. Have you had boba? It’s a texture. My daughter lives in California. Yes. I can’t. I had my first boba tea months ago and it felt like I was eating slugs. No offense. Mountain or beach? Mountain. Norway, so I can have beaches and mountains. We’re from the mountains, though. I need the mountains. Anita, there’s different types of beaches, warm beaches. Norway’s beaches are not warm. In the summer, maybe. Favorite comfort food. Pizza and tacos. This is so hard. It could be more than one. I love candy. What kinds? Chocolate or sour? Pie chew. She loves licorice. I inherited a five-pound bag of gummy bears that melted in somebody’s car. They didn’t want them anymore. I was like, “I’ll take them.” I have lost a whole tube to the gummy bears and have to get it. That was $500. I’m not trying to do it again. I love that, but the dental work, not good. There might be an option for you. Have you seen those newer candies called Peelerz? They’re so weird. I avoided them for months and then I finally got them because I didn’t understand what they were and they’re good. They’re in the gummy family. They’re very weird. I love them. I like them better than gummy bears. They’re not sticky like that to the teeth? They’re not that sticky. I’ll have to look into that. You have me interested. What is one thing people would never guess about you? I can do a pretty good handstand. Straight? Are you leaning on the wall? How’s it going It’s just like in a handstand contest. I often win and you wouldn’t guess that. I wouldn’t guess that. She also can ride a unicycle. She’s a clown. Is this a part-time gig? Are there secrets? I cannot disclose my clown identity. Mine’s boring. I know that it surprises people because it happens on the daily. They ask how old I am and I say, “I’m 44.” They say, “You’re not 44,” because I don’t look 44. Whatever. That’s a boring one. I would say a more fun one would be that I played college rugby with no experience. It was terrifying. I’m sorry. The flex is looking good at 40 because when you’re getting older. My daughter is constantly saying, “My mom looks the way she looks at 60. That’s why she looks the way she looks at 30.” You do look good. That is the real flex. Mel texted me that. She was like, “Tina looks so young.” Thank you. We’re both 25, I think. Exactly. What is something

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Navigating Widowhood: Updates And The 2026 Retreat

Podcast / July 21, 2026

Widowhood Real Talk with Tina | Widowhood Community

This episode provides vital updates for the widowhood community as we progress through 2026. Dr. Tina shares details about the Children of Widowhood Secret Santa program and the upcoming Walk for Love initiative designed to foster connection. Listeners will hear about the exclusive Real Widowhood Weekend #NextYou retreat taking place in Virginia Beach this December. We discuss the success of the Hope Grows Here 2026 event and how it supports our new educational scholarship fund. Dr. Tina also outlines the upcoming annual butterfly release ceremony and the men’s grief support group led by James Price. Tune in to learn how you can participate, donate, or find the support you need today. I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World. — Watch the episode here Listen to the podcast here Navigating Widowhood: Updates And The 2026 Retreat Introduction to Widowhood Updates One of the things I hear often in this widowhood community is, who am I now that my spouse has died? What should I do next? Have I been grieving so long that I’m stuck and I can’t get out of this? Those questions are going to be answered at a retreat that we are hosting. December 3rd through the 6th here at Virginia Beach, Virginia. Let’s get into this episode so I can share those details with you. — Children of Widowhood Secret Santa Widowhood, I have a lot to catch you up on. This is a conversation between the two of us. The first thing that I want to do, and mostly part of this conversation, is give you an update of all the things that’s happening in widowhood. First of all, I want to let that our Children of Widowhood Secret Santa program. We took our last application on June 30th. In 2026, we received 42 applications. That’s doubled in the first year than we did Children of Widowhood Secret Santa. If you’re saying, “What is it anyway?” Let me give you some details. Children of Widowhood Secret Santa is an opportunity for the nonprofit Widowhood Real Talk with Tina to help children who have lost one or both of their parents receive gifts for the Christmas holiday. You may have been reading this show, but let me roll it back and remind you. This show is part of the nonprofit 501(c)(3 Widowhood Real Talk with Tina, registered here in the State of Virginia. This show is often the gateway where people find out about the nonprofit and get involved. Children of Widowhood Secret Santa is managed by two widows, Lisa and Tiffany. They manage the program. I do a little bit to help them out, but they are doing the heavy lifting. The program allows us to work with parents or guardians of children who have lost one or both of their parents. Lisa and Tiffany work with these people to create an anonymous Amazon wish list where each child gets to select one to five gifts. Those gifts are under $50 or less. When I say anonymous, those Amazon wish lists will only show the city and the state for the recipient. On our website, starting October 1st, all those items will be listed and we’re looking for you, other sponsors, churches, places of faith, works, organizations where you work, civic clubs, and all sorts of organizations like funeral homes or hospice to come together to help make sure that these children receive Christmas gifts. Individuals, too. You can sponsor one gift. You may sponsor a child for all five gifts, or maybe a family. Maybe you’re like me, who doesn’t like shopping. The idea of being able to just donate to the program is enough for you. We have that option available also. The application process for Children of Widowhood Secret Santa closed on June 30th, and starting on October 1st, the list of all the gifts will be available on our website, but on August 1st, we will reach out and let all the applicants that were approved know that they are in the program. Lisa and Tiffany will start working with them. Walk For Love Details I am excited. Of those 42 applications, I don’t particularly know how many children are in total, but I’m sure it will be more than what we did for 2026. Also, I want you to know that Walk for Love is coming up soon. In fact, it is August 2nd through the 8th of 2026. You may be saying, “What is Walk for Love?” It is an opportunity for you to get involved with the widowhood community and what that looks like is, we’re asking people from August 2nd to August 8th to walk one mile a day. Only one mile. You may walk it outside. You may walk it inside. You may have a medical device. I have my right knee replaced, so I’m probably going to be using my walker to scoot down the road and accomplish my one mile a day. Depending on your situation, but before you do it, please check with your health provider to make sure that you’re in a good place to go for a walk every day. We specifically chose one mile a day because maybe you’ve been thinking about returning to exercise. One of the things that we know that can happen when we are dealing with grief. We don’t take care of ourselves as much as we want to. We don’t exercise. We’re sad. We’re sitting back and we’re disassociated from a lot of things around us. Being able to walk one mile a day can often get us back outside, getting into the sun, connecting with nature, and being

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Life After Loss: Gina Sevey On Widowhood, Grief Support & Healing After Spousal Loss

Podcast / June 11, 2026

Widowhood Real Talk with Tina | Gina Sevey | Spousal Loss

Losing a spouse can feel like the end of your world, leaving you navigating a landscape of grief and hopelessness. In this heartfelt conversation, guest Gina Sevey draws a poignant parallel between the slow, deliberate process of baking sourdough bread and the journey of widowhood, emphasizing that grief cannot be rushed. Through her personal story of loss and her mission to support others, Gina explores how to manage overwhelming emotions, the necessity of community, and the transformative power of shifting your thought processes. Listeners will gain actionable insight into how to honor their past while finding the strength to embrace a future where joy and grief can coexist, ultimately learning a new way to stand in their own lives. I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World. — Watch the episode here Listen to the podcast here Life After Loss: Gina Sevey On Widowhood, Grief Support & Healing After Spousal Loss When your spouse died, did you feel like your life was over? Did you feel like you were hopeless? Did you feel like nothing was worth doing anymore? Have you been looking for a way to change that thought process, to be hopeful, to think that there are opportunities for you to have joy? If that is you, this is a conversation you want to be in with Gina. Let’s get into this discussion. Gina, welcome to the Widowhood. Thank you so much. I’m so glad and honored to be here. When I say, “Welcome to the Widowhood,” and you say you’re honored and glad, the backstory or the ticker tape is what we would read, or would it be something else? I’m sad that I have to be here. There we go. I always say to the ladies in my group, “I wish I were teaching you how to make sourdough bread, but this is where we are at.” The Sourdough Metaphor: Processing Grief What are some similar processes to make sourdough bread as it relates to dealing with, managing, and surviving widowhood? Are there similarities? There are. The thing about sourdough bread, rather than making regular bread, is that with sourdough, there’s a long fermentation. You can’t rush it. Grief is the same thing. It’s something you cannot rush. Timing is so important with sourdough bread. You put that starter in with the flour and water, and then you let that levain rise. That’s a seven-hour process. You’ve then got to make the dough, and there’s even a process within making the dough. It’s not mixing it up and then slapping it in some stuff. There’s a process, and it requires time. It is the same thing for widowhood. There’s a process, and it’s your process. Grief is the same. We all lost our husbands. If you’re a widow, you lost your husband. The process can be different depending on how you look at it. Thank you for diving into that impromptu question. I could see some similarities. Would you share your husband’s name with us? Sure. My husband’s name is Lew. When you heard me ask for his name, what image came to mind or memory? His smile, his presence, and his joy for life. If you knew Lew, you knew Lew. He’s bold and fearless. Whenever I hear his name, I think he made an impression on my life and on so many other people’s lives. Do you remember the first time you met Lew? Yes. Do tell. We were both at a community college. He was in the Military. He was going back to school so that he could become an officer in the Military. I met him because I had a boyfriend at the time, and he introduced Lew to me in the common area. He was so funny and so different. He’s seven years older than me. I was like, “He’s a cutie,” but I was dating somebody. He was dating someone, too. That next semester, I had broken up with that guy, and I wound up seeing Lew again. He had gotten out of jump school. He had short hair. I remember putting my hand on his head, and I was like, “You got your hair cut.” He asked me, with my friend, like, “How about if you, your boyfriend, and I see a movie together?” That’s how it started. I used to live in Chicago. We went down to the city, and it was so much fun. Do you remember the movie? First Blood. Appropriate for a Military guy. Were you into the movie or into Lew? Which one was it? Lew. I do remember thinking as I was in the movie, “Why did I say yes to this?” but it was a good movie. Have you seen it since? No. It was not that great. It wasn’t one of those Sunday afternoons repeat movies. Navigating Love, Faith, And Early Marriage You and Lew go out on this date, and where do we go from there? I was telling my daughter that the night that Lew took me home, because he dropped everyone and me off and walked me to my door. He gave me a butterfly kiss. I remember thinking, “He didn’t kiss me on my lips. He kissed me and gave me a little butterfly kiss.” I was like, “He’s different.” We started dating from there. We dated for a couple of years and then got married. Let’s back it up. At what point did we become exclusive? How did this come about? Was it organic? It was organic. He was fun and funny. My parents weren’t super excited about him because he was older. He had been married before.

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Embracing God’s Presence In Widowhood With Florine Hurdle

Podcast / August 28, 2025

Widowhood Real Talk with Tina | Florine Hurdle | God's Presence

Widowhood is often associated with brokenness, depression, and isolation. But amidst the loneliness after losing a loved one, there is one thing that will never go away: God’s presence. I sit down with Florine Hurdle, author of two amazing books about widowhood, who shares how her faith carried her through the lowest point of her grieving journey. She talks about her own widowhood community, where she leads a sisterhood that supports and guides each other towards personal growth. Florine also discusses why widows should never suppress their feelings of rediscovering love and why romance will always be part of their lives. I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World. — Watch the episode here Listen to the podcast here Embracing God’s Presence In Widowhood With Florine Hurdle Hello, Widowhood. Our conversation with Florine Hurdle is going to be spicy. She is having a conversation about how we as widows are still alive in the thoughts of romance that still exist. In companion with that conversation is her second book, which is a conversation that allows people to support a widow in their first year. She provides extensive details on how to support a widow, a guide for clergy, and so much more. Let’s get into this conversation now. Hello, Florine. Welcome to the Widowhood. Hello, Miss Tina. I’m glad to be here. People would say, “I’m glad to be in the widowhood.” Really? What’s the ticker tape? When you think of widowhood, what’s the first thing that comes to mind for you? Initially, for me, widowhood is somebody who is in their 70s or 80s. She has lived some life, she has been to some places, she has done some things, accomplished some things, and she is rocking her crown of gray or silver hair. I’m saying your crown is looking good. How Florine Became A Widow What did it look like for you being in a widowhood? For me, it was probably more of a shock. The initial, “Really? He’s not coming back? You’re kidding. No. This is somebody else’s life I’m living.” I think I’m in a movie. I’m portraying somebody else’s life. I’m acting this out to try to help somebody else. Somebody may hear that, and they go, “She has to know it was a real thing,” or “Why could you not understand that that happened?” You talk about in one of your books, 0 to 100, they’re gone, they’re snatched, and there’s no return. Looking from the outside, before I was this close to it, I would have thought, “Okay,” but being in this space, I’m like, “Yeah, those are the things you think about. They’re on a work trip, you all play it.” For me, my husband was a military veteran. I treated it as if he were on tour. He’s getting ready to walk through the door any minute, any day. He’s going to drag them money boots in here. I’m going to have to fuss at him and tell him, “Sir, please take your stuff to the garage. You’re making a mess.” That was for me. How long, and still maybe now, to realize this is the reality? He is not coming home. It’s probably a daily thing. It’s a moment-to-moment thing. That is because there are still triggers. There are still things that resurface, or maybe even for me, when I’m out and about, and I see a young Black man, bald-headed with a goatee. I don’t know that until he turns around, but even turning around, when you see this image, I’m like, “That’s not him.” There have been a couple of times that have happened to me where I’m like, “That’s not my husband,” because I was going to tap on his shoulder and be like, “Sir, turn around. Where have you been for the last almost eight years of my life? Don’t be a double agent.” Eight years. We are in the same timeline of that process. If someone ever told me, flip into the future, Mark would be past eight years, and it would still be a part of me grieving him, I would say that makes no sense. Right now, I’m like, “This is forever.” This is a life journey. I say that from the perspective of someone who has remarried. That does not change it. What has widowhood been for you in the daily experience compared to someone you may have supported who lost a loved one before your husband passed? Daily is choosing to live. Daily is choosing to say, “You got a whole son. You got to show him what it’s like to live for him, for his father, for your husband,” because I’m still carrying his good name. One of the things that I choose to tell myself daily is, “You still carry his name, not his name, but you’re a representative of the kingdom.” What does it look like to represent both God and him and honor them both daily? Choosing to live past the fact that I get to wake up with this pillow next to me every night and wake up every morning, it’s still a real thing. It’s not a dream. It’s my reality. I think for me, it’s daily choosing to still go back to the same workplace that I was stuck at, where I could not get to my husband in time, walk past that section of cubicles every day, and say, “That’s where I was.” I couldn’t get out because I didn’t have the car that morning. He had dropped me off for work, went to his appointment at the VA, and said, “Babe, you better be

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Grateful For You: Widowhood Real Talk Turns 3 This 2025!

Podcast / January 3, 2025

Widowhood Real Talk with Tina | Widowhood

Welcome to the first episode of 2025! Join Tina Fornwald as she kicks off the year with a heartfelt message of gratitude and a vision for the future of the Widowhood Real Talk podcast and community. She reflects on the importance of community, connection, and creating a safe space for the bereaved to thrive. Plus, she shares insights from Brené Brown’s book “Rising Strong,” emphasizing the power of vulnerability, self-compassion, and staying true to your own grief journey. Tune in to be inspired and discover how you can become an active part of the Widowhood Real Talk community in 2025! I am sharing my experience of loving the same man for 32 years, a mother to two adult children, a retired military officer, a breast cancer survivor, and my connections with others. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts should reach out to a suicide hotline or local emergency number in their country: Psychology Today Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World — Watch the episode here Listen to the podcast here Grateful For You: Widowhood Real Talk Turns 3 This 2025! Welcome To The First Episode Of 2025! Welcome to the first episode of 2025. I have a list because there are no interview questions. I’m having this conversation with you and I wanted to make sure to cover everything. First of all, I want to say thank you for allowing me to hold a safe space for you. We have entered our third year of this conversation and it has been quite the ride. If this is the first day of you grieving the loss of a loved one or maybe several years down the road, I know the conversations that we have in the community that we’ve created will serve you well. My recommended book for 2025 that I am starting to read is called The Grieving Brain by Mary-Frances O’Connor, PhD. This is a book that I will be reading in 2025 and making many references to. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be able to have her as a guest on the show. I want you to know that in 2025, I am creating a vision for the show. I want you to know that we are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. With a corporation and being the founder, I am creating a vision. I like vision boards and pictures. Here, different things are going to be covered. There are a few things that I’ve covered already as far as a vision for widowhood but I want you to know that this is intentional. We have a purpose and I have come to embrace that my purpose is serving the bereaved. Yes, this organization was founded on the passing of my late husband, Mark, but the word widowhood is intentional because the loss not only impacts me as his wife but also my entire hood. I’m from Chicago. For me, the word hood represents family. Mark’s passing has impacted his children, his siblings, our neighbors, our family, our friends, and coworkers. Anyone that Mark was in contact with was impacted when his life left this world, and so was this foundation. This show was developed intentionally to inspire people not just to exist after the passing of their loved one but to learn how to live and create a life that they thrive in. What Is The Widowhood Real Talk Community? Understanding that process may be different for each individual but know we are on this journey with you. I want to thank you for three years of the show being in existence, for knowing that this is a safe space, and for allowing me to encourage you, give you words of hope and inspiration, and have supportive discussions. In 2025, I want to invite you to embrace the full community. If you’ve only been limited to the show, which has been good, I want to let the community exist beyond the show. You say, “What does that look like?” Let me give you a few things. We have our confidential grief Discord. There are people who are reading this content on different podcasts and applications, YouTube, and other different places. What I found is when I’m able to bring everyone together in the community, the ability for people to share, encourage each other, and grow is inspiring. There are people who see content on Instagram and different people who see content on TikTok. When everyone is able to come together and unite in the grief Discord, the conversation is rich. What do we know about people who are grieving? Sometimes we are often awake when the world is asleep. To be able to come together on the grief Discord, ask questions, seek encouragement, and even be able to chat with people one-on-one is very empowering. Another way that you could join me in the community is I go live on TikTok every Monday at 7:00 PM Eastern time. That’s a great opportunity to catch up on what is the topic for the week, engage with other people in the bereaved community, and connect one-on-one. Join Our Grief Support Groups! Another way is we have a private Facebook group. That is another opportunity to connect with other people in widowhood and be able to engage and find support and encouragement. We also host two grief support groups peer-to-peer on the second Thursday of every month. It is a men’s only grief support group that is hosted by Mr. James Price. On the last Thursday of the month, I host a grief support group open to everyone. You may say, “Why did the guys get their own grief support group?” It’s because our men need a safe space to be vulnerable and transparent, to know that their grief matters, and to not have to worry about outside eyes. We intentionally wanted to create a space for our men to be able to share their grief, be encouraged, and be uplifted. The other way in which you

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