Dealing with Grief After Losing a Spouse: How to Heal and Find Joy Again

If you are grieving after losing a spouse, you may feel like there's no way to ever feel joy again. But there is hope. And you'll get a picture of that hope from our guest, Ann Alessi, mother of Steve Alessi. With faith and family grounding her, she found a path to healing after losing her husband, who had been by her side for 65 years. In this emotional episode, Pastor Ann opens up about becoming a widow at 85, what helped (and what hurt) in early grief, how to support someone who lost a loved one, and why joy can still come after loss — without forgetting the person you love.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:How to grieve in a healthy, faith-filled way after losing a husband, wife or loved oneWhat NOT to say to a grieving spouse or widow — and what to say insteadHow to handle fear, loneliness, and the holidays after lossWhy you shouldn't make major life decisions in the first year after losing a spouseHow family and community support healing after griefHow to find joy again while honoring your loved one's memoryABOUT OUR GUESTPastor Ann Alessi was married to Pastor John Alessi for over 65 years before his passing in October 2020. Now in her eighties, she shares wisdom from six decades of ministry and marriage on navigating widowhood, leaning on God, and embracing new roles as mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.Whether you are a widow, widower, or supporting someone grieving a spouse, this episode offers practical, Christian encouragement for navigating grief, healing, and finding joy again.The Family Business with The Alessis is a multi-generational podcast where a pastor's family says what they can't say on Sundays — with honest conversations about faith, family, marriage, grief and loss.NEXT STEPSIf this helped you, please share it with someone walking through loss. Text the show! Support the showJOIN THE FAMILY BUSINESS WITH OUR NEWSLETTERSign Up for Our Family Business Newsletter and get more inside news from the Alessis + tips and strategies for a happier family! Get free access to the newsletterCONNECT WITH THE FAMILY BUSINESSFollow Us on Instagram and FacebookSubscribe on YouTubeLeave a reviewMORE PODCASTS YOU'LL ENJOYFind more podcasts coming from our Metro Life Studios team, including:My Morning DevotionalMen's Morning DevotionalThe Mary and Martha Show You can listen to all of these shows on our Metro Life Studios app here! Get The Metro Life Studios app