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    • Books for WidowersEssential books to support men through grief and healing
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    • Widower Grief & Healing BlogReflections from guest writers for men navigating loss
    • Widower Dating BlogDating guidance for widowers ready to connect again
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Widower Grief & Healing Blog

Reflections from guest writers for men navigating loss

From grief and isolation to healing and purpose, these honest reflections — written by widowed men and those who support them — offer hard-won lessons and practical insights to help widowers survive, heal, find strength and rebuild themselves.

  • Overcoming Grief, Anger, Stress, Etc.

    Living a good life in today's world is no small accomplishment. It is easy to succumb to anger and stress given the many challenges in our everyday lives, and so often others are trying to amplify those negative feelings so they can sell “their” solu continue Reading...

    November 2, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
  • Why Go To Group Therapy?

    On the evening of June 29, 2015, I began a journey for which I was ill-prepared. After holding my wife as she passed, I entered the grieving experience with no idea of what to expect along the way. For the first couple of weeks, I experienced the “Nu continue Reading...

    October 18, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
  • Surviving Anticipatory Grief

    If you were a caregiver for your wife for an extended time, there is a good chance that you experienced anticipatory grief. Expectation of imminent death can be both a blessing and a curse. Our aversion to admitting that she will die may cause us to continue Reading...

    October 4, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
  • Loving Yourself to Health

    When our wives die, we often lose the one person who loved us: • Unreservedly, • no matter what idiotic things we did, • despite our failings, our weaknesses, and our bad habits, and • even though we may have failed them at times. All of these “faili continue Reading...

    September 20, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
  • Ignoring the Grief Others Are Feeling

    It is easy during the first year or so after your wife’s passing to become so immersed in your own grief that you ignore the grief others are feeling. Let’s face it, during this time our grief is overwhelming! It often blocks out everything else so t continue Reading...

    September 5, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
  • Remorse About Your Wife’s Illness and Death

    A year before my wife’s passing, she began to experience upsetting physical and mental conditions, including skin rashes and stress. This continued for a while with her unable to determine the cause or to find solutions after visiting a couple of doc continue Reading...

    August 22, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
  • Marriage? Cohabitation? Live Apart Together? or Stay Single?

    Suppose we do enter into a new and meaningful relationship with someone. In that case, the inevitable question that may emerge is whether you should get married, move in together, stay single, or try Living Apart Together (LAT). Not long ago (think g continue Reading...

    August 12, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
  • What to Say, or Not Say to a New Widower

    Friends and family are often afraid to speak with a new widower… and with good reason as we are frequently emotionally traumatized after losing our wives The following summarizes advice I shared during some recent radio interviews. Share this with ot continue Reading...

    July 26, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
  • Questions About New Relationships – Part 2

    Earlier this year a therapist and doctoral student, who works with Couples in Conflict Management, contacted me with questions she encountered in conversations with women dating widowers. These questions deal with the challenges faced by a woman tryi continue Reading...

    July 12, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
  • Questions About New Relationships – Part 1

    Earlier this year a therapist and doctoral student, who works with Couples in Conflict Management, contacted me with questions she encountered in conversations with women dating widowers. These questions deal with the challenges faced by a woman tryi continue Reading...

    June 25, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
  • Why Are We So Damned Lonely?

    A friend who recently lost his wife and I were commiserating recently over how damned lonely we were soon after losing our wives. This is despite our backgrounds which included interacting with hundreds (if not thousands) of people yearly. And even t continue Reading...

    May 31, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
  • Fred Colby On How A Widower Handles His Grieving Process

    Fred Colby recently appeared on Widowhood - Real Talk with Tina. It was a thorough and thoughtful discussion of many issues important to widowers. After losing her husband to a sudden heart attack in 2017, Tina Fornwald created this platform for othe continue Reading...

    May 17, 2024

    By Fred Colby

    Read Reflection
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National Widowers’ Organization, Inc.
14 Earl Road
East Sandwich, MA 02537

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Dates to Remember

May 30 – National Men in Grief Day
August 24 – National Widowers’ Day

National Bereaved Men Days

National Widowers' Organization Logo

You are not alone — we’re here to help you through grief

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Who We Are

  • About Our Organization
  • FAQ About Widower Concerns
  • The Founder

Helpful Resources

  • Men’s Grief Resources
  • Widower Support Resources
  • Spirituality and Grief

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  • What to Expect After Losing a Spouse
  • Widower to Widower
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©2025 National Widowers’ Organization, Inc.
Founded 2011
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves widowers across the U.S.

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National Widowers' Organization Logo
  • About
    • About Our Organization
    • The Founder
    • FAQ About Widower Concerns
    • FAQ About Men’s Grief
    • National Bereaved Men Days
  • Resources
    • Men’s Grief Resources
    • Death of a Spouse/PartnerBooks to support men after losing a spouse or partner
    • Widower Support Resources
    • Spirituality and Grief
    • Dating Resources for Widowers
    • Books for WidowersEssential books to support men through grief and healing
    • Poetry for the GrievingWords of Inspiration by Poets
    • Recipes for WidowersComfort food recipes for beginner to seasoned cook
    • Testimonial VideosReal Stories of Healing and Hope from Widowers
    • Death of a Child or Grandchild
    • Death of a Parent
  • Get Support
    • What to Expect After Losing a Spouse
    • Widower to Widower
    • Support Groups
    • How to Start a Widowers’ Group
    • Support Research
  • Media
    • In the NewsNews and media on grief and support for men
    • PodcastsInsightful and engaging conversations on men’s grief, healing, and resilience
    • WebinarsOnline workshops for widowers and those who support them
    • Dating PodcastDating guidance for widowers ready to connect again
  • Blog
    • Widower Grief & Healing BlogReflections from guest writers for men navigating loss
    • Widower Dating BlogDating guidance for widowers ready to connect again
  • Contact Us
Donate
National Widowers' Organization Logo

You are not alone — we’re here to help you through grief

Access Resources Made for Men Coping with Grief

Your support helps us reach more widowers nationwide

Donate
National Widowers' Organization Logo

Your support helps us reach more widowers nationwide

Donate
May 30 - National Men in Grief Day
August 24 - National Widowers’ Day

National Bereaved Men Days

National Widowers' Organization, Inc.
14 Earl Road
East Sandwich, MA 02537

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves widowers across the U.S.
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