Healthy Widow Healthy Woman

Latest Episodes:

Grief, Financial Crisis, Racism, and Finding Clarity: When Everything Collides — with Christopher Dale Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

Podcast Description: What happens when grief, racism, financial crisis, and trauma arrive not one at a time — but all at once? Christopher Dale knows that answer intimately, reach him at christopherdale@lifeaftergrieffp.com

In this powerful episode, the author of Life After Grief: Holding the Numbers With Shaking Handsjoins us to share how being thrust into caregiving as a young man — and enduring losses that nearly broke him — ultimately became the foundation for a calling to guide others. He has learned a tremendous amount from his widowed clients and it has shaped who he is today and how he practices financial planning.

This is a conversation about survival, clarity, and the surprising goodness of people when life falls apart.

Guest Bio: Christopher is a financial advisor, author, and grief-informed advocate who has dedicated his career to meeting clients at the intersection of emotional trauma and financial transition. His book, Life After Grief: Holding the Numbers With Shaking Hands — When Money, Trauma, Grief, and Racism Collide, traces the hard-won lessons of his journey and the clarity that emerged from it.

A sought-after trainer of financial advisors, Christopher teaches others to recognize and honor the grieving styles of their clients — understanding that how someone processes loss shapes every financial decision they make. We are honored to have him as an active 3rd year Ambassador Council member at Modern Widows Club | The Movement for Widow Care®.

Reach Christopher Dale CFP®, CeFT®, at Life After Grief Financial Planning and learn more about The Life After Grief Collective at https://lifeaftergrieffp.com/about/christopher-dale-cfpr

Navigating Widowhood: Creativity, Risk-Taking, and Finding Our Way Forward Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

What does innovation have to do with widowhood?

More than you might think. In this compelling conversation, HWHW/ hosted by Modern Widows Club Founder Carolyn Moor welcomes Dr. Jacqueline Byrd — twice-widowed innovator, business consultant, and author of The Innovation Equation and Voice of the Innovator — for a deeply personal and insightful discussion on how the principles of creativity and risk-taking can help widows navigate their way into a new life.

https://www.voiceoftheinnovator.com/

Drawing from her 25 years of experience helping organizations innovate and her own experience losing two husbands, Dr. Byrd shares a powerful framework for understanding widowhood not as an ending, but as an invitation to live more courageously and intentionally. She explores how learning to sit with ambiguity, trust your inner voice, build resilience, and practice self-acceptance are not just tools for business innovation — they are the very qualities that help widows find their way forward.

Whether you are in the early fog of loss or further along in your journey, this episode will leave you with a new lens for understanding the courage it takes to rebuild — and a quiet reminder that the strength to find your way home has been with you all along.

Topics covered: creativity, risk-taking, resilience, self-acceptance, navigating ambiguity, and finding your voice after loss.

Grief, Prayer, Spiritual Health, Faith and Widowhood - Meet our MWC Prayer Team and Submit Your Prayer Request! Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

What happens when widows pray for widows? In this soul-stirring episode of Healthy Widow Healthy Woman, host Carolyn Moor connects with two extraordinary Wisters® (widow+sisters) — Dixie Keller and Karen Turner, Chair of the MWC Prayer Team — to explore one of the most intimate dimensions of healing: spiritual health in widowhood.

Together, they unpack how grief reshapes faith, how the Modern Widows Club Prayer Team was born, and why a widow praying alongside another widow carries a weight that no other support quite matches.

You'll learn how the MWC Prayer Request Line works, what widows most often bring to prayer, and how a team of faithful women expanded their intercession from individual grief to the entire Movement for Widow Care®.

SUBMIT YOUR PRAYER HERE

Whether your faith is steadfast or quietly searching, this episode will remind you: you don't have to carry it alone.

💙 Because no one understands a widow's grief quite like another widow.

We welcome people of all faiths and spiritual traditions to join us in this heartfelt mission of love, care, and unity. Through the power of collective prayer, we offer healing, encouragement, and spiritual strength to women navigating the journey of widowhood.

Learn more about Modern Widows Club.

Support@ModernWidowsClub.org

1-844-4-A-WIDOW

Navigating Social Security as a Widow: Policy, Pitfalls and What's Changing with David Weaver May 16, 2026

Show notes

In this Healthy Widow Healthy Woman podcast episode with Carolyn Moor, we sit down with economist and former Social Security Administration researcher David Weaver Ph.D to break down everything widows need to know.

We’ll cover:

The different types of widow benefits
The new SWIFT Act introduced to Congress by NY Senator Gillibrand,
How you can support it and what it could mean for your monthly check
A recent Social Security’s Inspector General report that found serious problems in how the SSA is handling widow claims
David Weaver also shares:
- What the Social Security Advisory Board is recommending to better serve widows and their children
- What the latest research tells us about how widows are faring financially
- The red flags every widow should watch for when dealing with the Social Security Administration.
Whether you’re newly widowed or planning ahead, this episode is essential to Healthy Widow Healthy Womanlistening for widow advocates everywhere.
HWHW Guest Bio: David A. Weaver currently teaches statistics at the University of South Carolina. Prior to teaching, David served as a researcher and executive in the federal government for several years at the Social Security Administration and the Congressional Budget Office. He has published several articles on federal programs, income, and poverty.
David is a native of Atlanta, Georgia and received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He also holds a Ph.D. in economics from Duke University.
*Follow David Weaver on Linkedin.
* Follow Carolyn Moor on Linkedin

Learn more about Host Modern Widows Club® The Movement for Widow Care (MWC)

Joan Vassos- Golden Bachelorette- Joins Healthy Widow Healthy Woman Podcast Apr 18, 2026

Show notes

We are so honored to welcome Joan Vassos — Golden Bachelorette — to our Healthy Widow Healthy Woman podcast with hostess Carolyn Moor.

Joan's journey captured the hearts of millions, not just because of the search for love, but because of the grace, courage, and authenticity she brought to it as a wister® (widow + sister).

She's living proof that love does not have an expiration date and that widowhood is not the end of a story — it is, for so many of us, the beginning of a new and unexpected chapter of life.

We are diving into one of the most asked-about topics in our Modern Widows Club® community: how love lives on in widowhood, what it means to open your heart again, and how to navigate that journey on your own terms. 💛

From navigating dating and intimacy to honoring your spouse's legacy while opening your heart again — we explore it all. We talk honestly about the myths and realities of romantic relationships after loss, how your personal priorities shift as you grow, and how to communicate those changes with confidence to the people in your life.

+ Follow Joan Vassos on Instagram and watch her HGTV special "Bachelor Mansion Take-Over".

Invitation: To continue this conversation with others, join our Modern Widows Club Relationship Building and Dating Virtual Community .

Learn more about Modern Widows Club® The Movement for Widow Care (MWC) on IG, FB, Linkedin, Widow Life® Publication on Substack.

Widowhood Post-Traumatic Growth with Dr. Mari Marquez- The Architecture of Adaptation Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

Our HWHW special guest is Dr. Mari Marquez, a personal growth educator who specializes in personal development and post-traumatic growth following the loss of loved ones. She is an international selling children's book author and holds a Ph.D. in psychology. Through her work, Dr. Mari offers research-backed tools for adaptation and personal growth in both English and Spanish through her workshops, resources, and her "Growth After Loss" podcast.

She serves as a facilitator for the Resilient Parenting Program through Arizona State University. Additionally, she co-leads a Spanish-speaking support group with the Modern Widows Club. Dr. Mari has received specialized training in post-traumatic growth, grief support, and prolonged grief disorder. She has had the honor of supporting many affected by traumatic losses in navigating their grief.

She was a featured speaker at our Modern Widows Club 2022 Widow Empowerment Event in Scottsdale, AZ. Since then, she has been paving a way towards more empowering widow research.

Find Dr. Mari Marquez at https://drmarimarquez.com Instagram, Facebook & YouTube @drmarimarquez

Find Modern Widows Club® The Movement for Widow Care (MWC) on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Linkedin and Widow Life® at Substack.

**Interview with Dr. Joel Hunter: The Hug That Changed Everything: Faith, Loss, Belonging and Widow Care** Oct 05, 2025
Show notes

NEW EPISODE 🎙️Healthy Widow Healthy Woman Podcast hosted by Carolyn Moor, Founder of Modern Widows Club | The Movement for Widow Care®(MWC)

**What happens when a pastor who advised presidents sits down with a widow advocate? A conversation that bridges faith, social justice, and the urgent need for widow care in America.**

**Dr. Joel Hunter** lost his WWII veteran father at 4, watched his mother navigate widowhood, and later experienced profound losses including his young granddaughter and son. These experiences shaped his 55-year ministry—and now he's bringing that wisdom to widow care awareness.

In this conversation, we explore:

+ How Dr. Joel Hunter's own losses informed how he approached ministry life

+ Dr. Joel Hunter explains: "Every time somebody vows to treat all people with respect, that's gonna include some widows. And every time a widow goes from grieving to growing, that benefits our entire community."

+ The power of presence and✨ stories of comfort when he needed grief care - the men who stepped up-- Pastor Rick Warren and former President Barack Obama, whom he was spiritual advisor for 8 years.

+ Champions within congregations create movements. "When we protect vulnerable communities, everyone wins." - Dr. Joel Hunter

+ How the Central Florida Pledge connects and expands on The Movement for Widow Care® advocacy to increase widow support in our communities ✨ What can we learn from MWC?

+ Creating inclusive communities of care needs to include widows, who are notoriously marginalized, vulnerable and in need invisibly in ways we don't anticipate

With his own losses, he says "I don't remember anything anybody said, but I remember the hugs." - words that changed Dr. Hunter's ministry.

"If you start sowing exclusion, you're gonna reap division. But if you love everybody in the way they need to be loved, that's what the world becomes." - Dr. Joel Hunter

**CONNECT WITH DR. JOEL HUNTER:** Chairman, Central Florida Pledge; Pastor of Community Benefit, Action Church

**CONNECT WITH CAROLYN MOOR:** Founder, Modern Widows Club | The Movement for Widow Care Instagram: @modernwidowsclub Website: modernwidowsclub.org

**The Science Behind Your Grief to Growth Journey with Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor** Sep 05, 2025
Show notes

Healthy Widow, Healthy Woman Podcast "The Science Behind Your Grief to Growth Journey" with Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor, Neuroscientist, Author & Professor, Department of Psychology, Grief, Loss and Social Stress (GLASS) Lab at the University of Arizona.

Our founder Modern Widows Club® Carolyn Moor sits down with renowned neuroscientist Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor, author of The Grieving Brain and The Grieving Body, for a groundbreaking conversation that will validate everything you've been experiencing. 💡

What You'll Discover:

The Science Behind Your Experience: Why your brain believes your person still exists while knowing they've died The real reason you feel like you're "losing your mind" (spoiler: you're not!) How grief creates actual physiological changes in your body

💜 Why This Matters:

Dr. O'Connor's research proves what we've known at MWC for 12 years—grief is a natural learning process that requires time, support, and comprehensive care. This isn't just about "getting through it"—it's about understanding the incredible transformation happening within you - although unwanted.

Tag a widow who needs to hear this science-backed validation of their journey. Sometimes understanding the "why" behind what we're experiencing is the first step toward healing.

Learn more about Modern Widows Club at https://modernwidowsclub.org 844-4- A WIDOW support@modernwidowsclub.org

Solo Parenting, Resilience & Widowhood: A Healthy Way Forward May 19, 2025

Show notes

Modern Widows Club® The Movement for Widow Care (MWC) Founder Carolyn Moor interviews the MWC Parenting Club Facilitator Michelle Walker and discusses the mission of this virtual resource for parentally bereaved families.

The mission of the MWC Parenting Support Club is simple: to support you as awidowed parent so you can take the best possible care of your grieving children. We share information and resources that address the following areas, all of which have been identified by research as important, positive influences on grieving families:

+Understanding & Supporting Children's Grief

+Strengthening Family Bonds & Communication

+Parent Self-Care: Its Importance & Its Many Forms

+Effective Positive or Authoratative Discipline Tactics

Michelle's Story: Michelle received the devastating news that her husband of 11 years, Mike, had been killed by a reckless driver. She was 40 years old, left to raise their heartbroken 7 and 9 year old daughters, who adored their tall, funny daddy. With the love of family and friends, she navigated the lengthy process of rebuilding her family life while also supporting her children's grief and processing her own.

Once her children were grown, she wanted to "pay it forward" by supporting other families who had suffered the death of a parent. To complement her 18+ years as a widowed parent, she obtained a Master of Science in Family & Human Development from Arizona State University. Through research during this program, she discovered Modern Widows Club® and knew she had found just the place to support all widows, including those with children.

She is grateful for the opportunity to serve and encourage all widowed parents in her role as MWC Parenting Support Club Facilitator since 2024. Learn more about MWC Parenting Club at: https://modernwidowsclub.org/clubs/parenting-club

844-4- A- WIDOW

support@modernwidowsclub.org

https://modernwidowsclub.org

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