Widow Talk library
Real conversations about the stuff people just don't talk about
Join Lauren, Carren and Rebecca as they chat to real Australian young widows and widowers. From facing the firsts, dating after loss to solo parenting. Each episode of Widow Talk explores a facet of widowhood as told by our brave and generous volunteers.
You can find our full library of interviews and subscribe to updates on our YouTube channel or see our individual episodes below.
Widowed in your 20s and 30s
In this episode of Widow Talk, Lauren chats to Brooke Rose and Kat Sanabria about the experience of being widowed in your 20s and 30s. They discuss grieving the future they didn’t get to have; the awkward things people say to widows; and what it’s like to navigate widowhood so much earlier than anyone should have to.
Widowed with adult children / focussing on positivity and connection
We talk to Melissa Walker, who was widowed at 45 years of age when her husband Shane passed away suddenly in 2016 from a brain aneurysm. Melissa shares her experience of being widowed with adult children and how she focussed on positivity and connection to move forward with her grief and create a new life.
A widowers perspective: first year of grief in lockdown
In this episode, Lauren chats to young widower Alex Bettes, back in Dec 2020, about his first year of widowhood spent in Melbourne’s hard COVID-19 lockdown. Alex lost his beautiful wife Emily to bowel cancer in September 2019. He shares his personal experience about caring for Emily through her illness, what it was like to grieve in isolation and how he battled the depths of his grief to reach out for help when he needed it most.
Widowed twice / military widow
In this episode of Widow Talk we chat to Kim Skuce Morgan-short who lost her first husband, Air Force pilot ‘Shorty’ in 1999 when his F111 jet plane crashed and her second husband Stewart, also an Air Force pilot, to Cancer in 2019. Kim shares the inspiration story of her two beautiful marriages, including her reflection on the difference between being widowed suddenly and being widowed after a lengthy illness.
Returning to work and changing jobs
In this episode of Widow Talk we chat to Kate Nuttall who lost her husband Tim to the flu in 2017. Kate speaks about her own experience in returning to work after her husband’s death and the challenge of changing jobs and settling in to a new office environment. As a successful HR professional, she also shares her insight from an employer’s perspective and offers some helpful tips and advice on how to make that transition back to work while grieving.
Widowed by suicide
In this episode of Widow Talk Lauren chats to Sophie Havers about their shared experience of being widowed by suicide. They discuss the complexities of suicide bereavement: blame, anger, and feelings of guilt, as well as the stigma that surrounds suicide and mental illness.
Multiple traumas
In this episode of Widow Talk we chat to Angela Bassard who lost her husband David to depression in 2013 after 16 years of marriage and 4 children together. As if the sudden loss of her husband weren’t enough, Angela has faced several other traumas during her widowhood.
Supporting grieving children
In this episode of Widow Talk we chat to Jane Phillips who was widowed with four children aged between 5 and 13 in 2012. Jane talks about the early days of grief and the ways she supported her grieving children through their own grief of losing their father and how they have found their way forward over the years.
Selling the family home and relocating after loss
Joanna Boyd shares her personal experience about selling her home and relocating her family after her husband’s unexpected death in September 2017 while on holidays in Bali.
Widowed prior to marriage equality
Lara Ryan shares her experience of losing her wife Elise in 2016 before same sex marriage was legalised in Australia, and her journey since – raising their two daughters, accidentally going ‘viral’, creating awareness about the importance of same sex marriage and finding her story resonated with supporters from around the world.
Taking on full-time study for a career change
In this episode of Widow Talk we chat to Emma Hopkins-Curry who was widowed with two young girls in 2013. Emma discusses making the decision to go back to full-time study and change her career direction after being widowed. She also talks about supporting grieving children, re-partnering and blending families while undertaking her studies.
The first few weeks and months
We talk to First Light Widowed Association secretary and co-founder Carren Stapleton about the sudden death of her husband Dave in 2013, in particular, how Carren navigated through the first few weeks and months.
A man’s perspective on widowhood and solo parenting
In this episode we chat to Chris Martin, widower, solo dad of two, and author of the blog Just A Dad. Chris offers the male perspective of widowhood and solo parenting, which often doesn’t have as strong a presence or voice in the Australian widowed community. He offers his thoughts on why this is the case and shares his experiences of parenting in widowhood.
Choosing to become a solo parent
In this episode of Widow Talk we chat to Lauren Leslie Carr who had the unfortunate experience of entering widowhood at 26. She discusses what it was like being widowed so young, her experiences of dating and making the ultimate decision to become a solo mum.
Dating and re-marriage
We talk to First Light Widowed Association president and founder Rebecca Adams about her experience dating and getting remarried three years after the death of her husband in 2013.
Hope, community, understanding
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