Introduction
Since 2005, I have led a support group for widows over the age of fifty-five. The candid, courageous people who have attended its meetings have repeatedly proven that there is no better comfort than the company of those who understand the grief, shock, and sadness of spousal loss—first hand. As a psychotherapist and a widow as well, I know from both training and personal experience how important this connection can be.
Many widows have come to rely on our bereavement support group as a unique haven where they can express their fears and sorrows—a place where they will never be judged, questioned, or pushed away with clichéd advice.
Together, our group has learned many things that help us survive on this strange island called widowhood. At the request of group members, I have gathered our discoveries in this booklet, so that widows can turn to it for support. Though it is written primarily for women (since it is women who most often seek solace and support when a mate has died), it has much to offer widowed men as well.
If you are widowed and have not joined a bereavement support group, I hope you will consider doing so. Reading these pages will give you a glimpse of the comfort that awaits you there.
Many widows have come to rely on our bereavement support group as a unique haven where they can express their fears and sorrows—a place where they will never be judged, questioned, or pushed away with clichéd advice.
Together, our group has learned many things that help us survive on this strange island called widowhood. At the request of group members, I have gathered our discoveries in this booklet, so that widows can turn to it for support. Though it is written primarily for women (since it is women who most often seek solace and support when a mate has died), it has much to offer widowed men as well.
If you are widowed and have not joined a bereavement support group, I hope you will consider doing so. Reading these pages will give you a glimpse of the comfort that awaits you there.
Read on: Quotes from Widows