As a clinical psychologist, I was well aware of the literature on bereavement, especially the five stages of grief as expounded by Elisabeth Kubler-Rosshere. In brief, these stages are: Denial. This is not happening to me. Anger. It’s not fair that t continue Reading...

Following the passing of a wife or life-partner, it is the widower who needs support, not the deceased.  So why is it that so many widowed men complain about their sense of abandonment by their families, friends, neighbors, and co-workers following t continue Reading...

“Hi, my name is Richard”. Thus began my knowing a giant of a man named Richard Blount (62) as he sat down in the chair beside me. The occasion was my first meeting at GriefShare, a widely available program for those who have experienced a loss in the continue Reading...

From the time little boys are first able to walk, in some cases even before they can walk, parents begin shaping the psyche of their sons by telling them, “Boys don’t cry. ” Oh really… who says so?  Whoever it was, they should be prosecuted for the h continue Reading...

Men need to have a purpose in life.   A reason to get up in the morning.  Absent purpose, why live? I hear it in the voices and read it in the posts men make on “Widowers Support Network – Members Only” (WSN-MO), a FREE and private “men's only” page continue Reading...

Tired of being alone? Whether you’re a divorcee, a widowed man, have never married or even been in a committed relationship, you may someday decide that you are tired of being alone. I completely understand.  You see, I’ve been in your shoes as have continue Reading...

“The entire floor misses your laughter,” said the young female staff member standing at my office door.  It had been just four months since my bride, Michelle Knoll, had earned her angel wings following her 39 month battle against pancreatic cancer. continue Reading...

„Boys Don’t Cry. It’s not manly. Get over it!” Something was wrong. Men who followed the Facebook page, “Widowers Support Network,” just weren’t actively using it as a grief recovery tool. Then, in March of 2018, it hit me. Widowed men who sought out continue Reading...

First relationship after being widowed A friend of mine, let’s call him Harry, decided to start dating three months following the death of his wife. They had been married for 44 years. After a few dates he began lamenting, “But they’re not like my wi continue Reading...

How can a widower with young children grief? So your wife just died. Your four year old is puzzled by all the commotion in the house. One minute he is asking for his mother, the next he is playing happily with a favorite toy. Your 11 year old son has continue Reading...

Unlocking Grief I recently heard someone describe moving forward after loss as “Unlocking Grief.” That phrase stayed with me. Losing a wife is one of the most traumatic experiences a man can face. As with any trauma, your personality plays a big role continue Reading...

When a widowed father finds happiness in his first new relationship, hopefully his adult children will be supportive. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. I recently saw the movie version of “Middle of the Night,’ an adaption of an early Paddy continue Reading...