This week on the Wake the F*ck up Podcast we share a widow’s journey to healing. Amanda Kurtz sits down with Katie to share the story of how she lost her husband in April 2023 to Stage Four stomach cancer. They had been together for more than 11 years, and had just gotten married in January 2023. In this episode, Amanda shares her poignant journey of grief following her husband’s death so shortly after their wedding. She reflects on the profound impact this experience had on her mental health, her role as a parent to her 15-year-old son, and the importance of setting personal boundaries during such a challenging time. As you’ll hear in this episode, Amanda feels a strong calling to become a grief coach and help others who have been through her same journey.
If you are a frequent WAKE podcast listener then you already know we highly recommend therapy as a tool for healing from grief. Amanda shares how she started therapy two weeks after Eric’s passing, and took a mental health leave from work to prioritize her well-being and support her son. She emphasizes how crucial it is to allow yourself to feel all the emotions deeply and completely during your grief journey, and encourages listeners to monitor their loved ones for changes, particularly teenagers, as they navigate their own grief.
Later in the episode, Amanda discusses how living in a small community where her husband was well-known presented unique challenges, especially when it comes to the potential for dating again. Amanda shares her thoughtful approach to this delicate situation, including how she symbolically changed her jewelry to reflect her family's current dynamic. She speaks candidly about the complexities of introducing someone new to her son and the cautious optimism she feels about re-entering the dating world.
Professionally, Amanda works as a health record ambassador, a role that brings its own emotional burdens, particularly when dealing with do-not-resuscitate orders, or DNRs. A DNR order is a medical order written by a health care provider. It instructs providers not to do CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) if a patient's breathing stops or if the patient's heart stops beating. These are complex and emotional topics, and they can be very hard to deal with in the moment of a health crisis. Amanda highlights the importance of having early discussions about end-of-life decisions, advocating for proactive conversations to ease the burden on families during difficult times.
As Amanda tells us, losing Eric helped her connect more deeply with her authentic self, and also helped her see more clearly the true nature of others around her. Looking ahead, Amanda shares her aspirations to become a grief coach and establish a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting young widows and widowers.
Are you healing from loss or grief? Join us on the WAKE Wellness Rebirth Retreat in Puerto Vallarta November 2-9. This retreat is dedicated to guiding individuals out of life's autopilot by helping them break free from the wounds that have held them back. Embrace this opportunity to take back your power, gain practical tools, and leave with a newfound sense of purpose and authenticity. Experience heart-opening ceremonies like the cacao ceremony and breathwork sessions that will leave you feeling renewed and empowered. Spots are filling up fast. Click here to learn more: https://www.thewakewellness.com/retreats/puerto-vallarta-2024
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Follow Alix on Instagram: @alixlongwinded
More resources to help you along your grief journey:
On Death and Dying - by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Scar Tissue - By Anthony Kiedis
The Surrender Experiment - By Michael A. Singer,
Death, Dying & Rebirth: A Look at the Second Birth of Humanity - By Dr. Zach Bush
Finding rebirth through grief - Alix’s blog
Conscious Grieving: A Transformative Approach to Healing from Loss - by Claire Bidwell Smith
A Message of Hope from the Angels - By Lorna Byrne
Open Path Collective - Resource for finding affordable therapy and counseling services