Show notes
Have you ever felt like you were finally doing better, only to be hit by an unexpected wave of grief? Brave Widow Resources Book a call with me to see if 1-1 Coaching or Academy is right for you: https://www.bravewidow.com/callFree, Live “Four Seasons of Grief” Training + Quiz: bravewidow.com/liveRebuild a Life You Can Love Again in the Brave Widow Academy (join the waitlist or book a call): https://bravewidow.com/academyCreate Calm from Chaos and Heal Your Heart inside Brave Widow Foundations:👉 bravewidow.com/foundationsJoin the free Brave Widow Community: https://bravewidow.com/free You may wonder if you’re going backward, if your progress was fake, or if you’re doing grief “wrong.” You’re not.In this episode, Emily explains why grief is not linear, how memories and seasons can trigger intense grief waves, and what healing actually looks like after loss. You’ll learn:Why a grief wave does not mean you are back at day oneHow grief can be triggered by sounds, smells, songs, seasons, and milestonesWhy your body can react strongly to memoriesHow to name and acknowledge a grief waveWhy you should lower expectations during difficult daysHow support and community help you recoverWhy you do not need to solve your future in the middle of a waveWhat “getting better” really meansHow to carry grief and gratitude at the same timeHow to begin learning to “ride the wave” instead of feeling destroyed by it Chapters00:00 When grief suddenly hits again 01:00 The power of one-on-one coaching 04:00 Choosing the right Brave Widow support 06:00 The myth of linear healing 08:00 Unexpected grief triggers 11:00 Learning to ride the waves 17:00 Why grief feels like going backward 23:00 What a grief wave does not mean 24:00 What to do when grief hits 29:00 Redefining healing and progress 31:00 You do not have to walk alone 💬 If this episode helped you, please: Hit Subscribe Leave a quick rating & review – it helps more widows find this supportShare this with a friend who’s facing grief or the holidays without their person If you’re new here, my name is Emily Tanner. I’m the founder of Brave Widow and Brave Widow Academy. I help widows move from barely surviving their loss… to rebuilding a life they can actually love again without feeling like they’re betraying their person. By day (and for 20+ years), I’ve led large teams and complex operations in the corporate world. After my husband Nathan died in 2021, just shy of our 20-year anniversary, I took everything I knew about leadership, systems, and change — and started applying it to grief. Since then, I’ve:Shared my story publicly to make widows feel less alone.Launched the Brave Widow podcast, now with 180+ episodes and listeners around the world.Coached hundreds of widows Built Brave Widow Academy, a 6-month coaching program with a clear framework for moving from deep grief to rebuilding a life you can love again. I don’t teach “just think positive” grief tips. I teach widows how to:Heal their heart.Stop waiting on “time” to fix everything.Take small, brave steps toward a life that feels meaningful again. How I Got Here… 2021: My husband Nathan dies unexpectedly. I’m 4 kids in, overwhelmed, and drowning in paperwork, decisions, and pain. Therapy helps, but I still feel stuck with no roadmap. 2021–2022: I start devouring books, interviewing widows, trying grief groups, and studying coaching — desperate to find something that actually helps me feel different. 2022: I start the Brave Widow podcast, recording episodes while terrified and crying between takes — but determined that no widow should feel as alone as I did. Year 1: I begin coaching widows Year 2: I launch Brave Widow Academy — a structured, 6-month coaching program with a step-by-step path: from deep grief, to stability, to rebuilding. Year 3: Brave Widow has listeners around the world. I’ve personally coached hundreds of widows and spoken with thousands more through consults, lives, emails, and DMs. Today: My work is simple: Help widows stop surviving each day… and start rebuilding a life that makes them genuinely glad to be alive again.