Joy Imboden Overstreet Reflects on Widowed Parenting After 47 years

I had such a great discussion with Joy Imboden Overstreet for this episode. Joy is a widowed parent, and is in fact the person who is farthest out from their loss that we’ve had on the show. She was widowed 47 years ago, when her kids were just 3 & 6 years old. I think it’s really helpful to hear her perspectives and reflections after many years.

Some topics Joy and I discuss include:

• The shock of her 29-year-old husband being diagnosed with testicular cancer when her kids were 1 and 4 years old;

• Feeling angry after he died, followed by shame and self-loathing;

• Hiring a male nanny for her young kids;

• Meeting her second husband 8 years after her first husband died;

• Her older son becoming ‘super dad’ after his first child was born as a reaction to missing out on experiences with his own dad;

• Her daughter exploring feelings of abandonment as an adult in relation to losing her dad; and

• Planning to have discussions now with her adult kids, 47 years after their loss, about things they never talked about—and realizing that it’s never too late to talk about it.

I hope you enjoy my discussion with Joy Imboden Overstreet.

Links & resources for this episode

• Joy’s website

• The Cherry Pie Paradox: The Surprising Path to Diet Freedom and Lasting Weight Loss, by Joy Overstreet

• The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk

• Improv Wisdom, by Patricia Madson

• Find kids & family grief programs: search Dougy.org or National Alliance for Children’s Grief

More links for listeners

• Download: Kids & Grief: What You Need to Know

• Article: I’m a Widowed Mom: Here Are My 3 Tips for COVID-19 Widows

• Book: Widowed Parents Unite: 52 Tips to Get Through the First Year, from One Widowed Parent to Another

Thank you sponsors & partners:

Help Texts - Grief support text messaging service. Tips and support delivered all year long, personalized based on your loss. Listeners get $10 off: https://helptexts.com/jennylisk

BetterHelp - Talk with a licensed, professional therapist online. Get 10% off your first month: betterhelp.com/widowedparent

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