April 29, 2023 • Saturday • 11AM-6PM ET • Our Widow Empowerment Event is a one-day virtual event designed to empower you to transform your grief after loss into a positive, purposeful future while embracing your own strength and courage. Join other wisters (widow + sisters) from around the world for this one-of-a-kind life-changing event! Event will be LIVE with multiple speakers/topic sessions. (Recordings will be available post-event to all registrants for most sessions) See you there!
What happens when you bring widows together with inspiring expert speakers accessible from anywhere in the world for one powerful day?
She feels SEEN, HEARD, RESPECTED and LOVED for the formidable, courageous woman she is in the world. She finds a way to move forward, reach back to help others and honor her love legacy. JOIN US!
WHO
Hundreds of widows before you have attended our virtual Widow Empowerment Event. Join us for this special day designed to help you find hope, healing, growth, and a healthy pathway forward. Purchase one WEE 2023 Virtual ticket for yourself, or purchase one ticket for yourself plus a scholarship for another widow.
Countdown to WEE 2023 Virtual
Join us for this empowering event and learn from other widow mentors, leaders, and advocates; gain new tools and resources; and find a supportive community.
WEE 2023 Virtual | Speaker Collection Video Recordings
Attendee Guide
What is Good Grief Support? - Dr. Joanne Cacciatore
Joy & Laughter Even After - Jen Mathews
Unlock Your Widow Potential - Petra Gordon
Eat Well & Move to Thrive - Tara Gidus Collingwood
Get it All Together 101 - Suzanna Kaye
Resilience and Reinvention - Juliette Brisman
Turning Grief Into Growth - Cyndi Williams
Additional Resources
Post Event Survey
Presenters
Petra Gordon
Unlock Your Widow Potential
After the loss of a spouse, the initial feeling is one of feeling lost. Who am I now? The world seems so unfamiliar and different without your spouse. The dreams and plans you had together have been altered. Our lives have been so intertwined with our spouses that we have forgotten about the time and season in our life before we were a spouse and a parent. We are left with trying to not only navigate the journey of grief, and widowhood, but also trying to decide how we want the rest of our story to be. What is still possible for you in your life? You can still experience a meaningful and fulfilling life. Not in the absence of grief and loss. You learn to navigate both at the same time. We learn how to carry grief while at the same time healing, unlocking our full potential and discovering the best version of ourselves.
Juliette Brisman
Resilience and Reinvention
Juliette Brisman was living her best life in the New York City suburbs as a wife and mother of two small children when tragedy struck. Her 34 year old husband Mark was killed on September 11th when the World Trade Center was attacked in 2001. In the 20 plus years since the tragedy, Juliette has re-invented herself as a grief professional, helping countless others on their personal journeys toward healing, hope and meaning after loss. Juliette will share her story as well as introduce attendees to her incredibly moving and true story detailed in her 2022 Memoir , A Heart Returned, which is currently being developed for the small screen.
Dr. Joanne Cacciatore
What is Good Grief Support?
Traumatic grief and novel approaches to support. Social support seems to enhance wellbeing and health in many populations. Conversely, poor social support and loneliness are a social determinant of poor health outcomes and can adversely affect physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Social support is especially important in traumatic grief. However, the ways in which grieving individuals interpret and define social support is not well understood, and little is known about what specific behaviors are perceived as helpful. Using qualitative description and content analysis, this study assessed bereaved individuals’ satisfaction of social support in traumatic grief, using four categories of social support as a framework. Findings suggest inadequate satisfaction from professional, familial, and community support. Animals emerged with the most satisfactory ratings. Further, findings suggest that emotional support is the most desired type of support following traumatic loss.
Jen Mathews
Joy & Laughter Even After
In this experiential presentation, Jen will offer transformative tools to access your playfulness and inner joy even in challenging times. You will learn creative visualizations and gentle laughter exercises to heal heartache after loss and rediscover your connection to life, moment by moment.
Tara Gidus Collingwood
Eat Well & Move to Thrive
Our physical health is the base of health—it affects our mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. What are you doing to protect your base? Tara will provide you with simple and doable strategies to incorporate into your everyday life. The result will be increased energy for the activities of daily life, but also to help with coping with stress and improving focus.
Suzanna Kaye
Get It All Together 101
Are you lost in a jungle of papers & information? Trying to figure out what goes where and how to keep track of the new papers and to do items that come in? You're not alone! Join Professional Organizer & Paper Specialist Suzanna Kaye to discuss how to take the paralysis & overwhelm out of dealing with info & papers (& get a BONUS - How to Build a Simple Action File Guide) so you can breathe again.
Cyndi Williams
Turning Grief Into Growth
Feeling overwhelmed in grief is normal. But living in a constant state of overwhelm can be detrimental to your mental and physical health. In this session, we’ll discuss those things that make us feel overwhelmed, along with how to manage the feelings and potentially turn them into a catalyst for growth. You’ll learn why feelings of overwhelm can occur, along with practical tools to calm yourself in those moments so you can do the necessary self-evaluation to get to the root of the problem.
Are you ready for WEE 2023 Virtual?
These are real quotes from women just like you who wondered if this event was right for them!
Where do people like me go?
My grief group isn't working for my anymore. Now what?
I'm curious about what's possible for my future, even if I don't know what that is.
I'm called to uplift and mentor other widows now.
Looking for healing, hope and purpose in life.
I want to learn from other widows further along than me.
Widow School? Sign me up!
Testimonials
“I want to learn from widow speakers who have their own widowhood story of grief to growth who have now become mentors, leaders and advocates for widows' causes. ”
Laura
“I'm a completely different person after losing my partner. I'm bummed I have to rebuild my life, but I want to do it well! One that is focused on finding purpose and meaning.”
Jan
“Becoming a young widow felt very out of order and isolating. I want to find my tribe of strong, wise and empowered women to guide me towards what the future holds.”
Becky
Registration Options
Select one WEE 2023 Virtual ticket for yourself for $50, or one ticket for yourself plus a scholarship for another widow for $100.
We don't know for certain, but 300+ widows around the world registered for WEE 2022 Virtual. The event is virtual, so the sky's the limit!
What if I can't stay the whole day? Will the event be recorded?
Absolutely, YES! Although many attendees were able to stay for the full 8 hours at WEE 2020 Virtual, we know many could not. All recordings will be available shortly after the event, so you can catch up and stream it 24/7/365. We gotcha covered.
How do I apply for a Scholarship Ticket
Please complete the application (copy & paste the link into your browser)
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYggtIrfMZML6a-K7QsBbvpWhy7QR0UuHRVpecsXhqx06Kgg/viewform
What if event day comes and I'm unable to attend the virtual event LIVE?
Things happen, we get it! The bummer part is you'll miss winning some of our giveaways, and won't be able to participate in the Speaker Q&As. But you'll have access to recorded sessions so you can receive all the important educational content, community and connection. Don't miss out on that!
How many Widow Scholarship virtual tickets can I purchase?
When purchasing using the "Purchase Now" button, just one. However, if you wish to purchase a scholarship for more than one widow (wow!) email us at [email protected] or call 844-4- A WIDOW. We will make it happen! This 501(c)3 tax deductible donation applies to any amount. Thank you for your generosity. It matters.
Is my WEE 2023 Virtual ticket refundable or transferrable?
WEE 2023 Virtual tickets are not refundable or transferrable, so remember to mark your calendar to attend LIVE on April 29! And after the event, all registrants can enjoy the recorded sessions at their convenience.
What are the ages of widows attending the event?
Widows from their 20s to their 80s attend our events. All it takes is a smartphone, tablet, or computer to easily access the live virtual event or watch later. Curiosity, passion, and purpose are key, not age.
Is my WEE 2023 Virtual ticket fee tax deductible?
YES. Make sure to include this Modern Widows Club 501(c)(3) nonprofit event fee on your 2023 tax return.
Laura
Jan
Becky