Life After Loss in Rural America with Danielle Kruse

In today's episode, Danielle Kruse and I are talking about life after loss in rural America.Danielle and her husband had built a life in northwest Iowa, raising babies and crops and building a farm alongside his parents. Like so many rural families, there was pride, responsibility, and pressure. What Danielle didn't know was that her husband was quietly battling a drinking addiction he kept hidden from nearly everyone, and he eventually took his own life.Life after loss changes everything, but Danielle is proof that it doesn't have to erase your future. You can keep going while still grieving, and you can choose honesty over silence. You can ask for help, even when it feels foreign. And you CAN build something solid and steady for the future.In this episode, we cover:Danielle’s path from healthcare to farm wife & now running the farm with her in-lawsHer husband’s hidden drinking addiction, shame & circumstances surrounding his deathWhy asking for help feels impossible when you’re numbing or afraid of being a burdenDanielle’s experience with grief and anger, and the reality that closure is often a mythHow she and her in-laws strengthened their relationship while keeping the farm goingThe support system that helped her navigate life after lossHer kids’ resilience and the role therapy played for all of themThe financial + operational learning curve she faced stepping into farm responsibilitiesDanielle’s commitment to honesty, hard conversations & letting go of others’ opinionsThe stability & support she finds in her part-time ultrasound career Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! Find the complete show notes here: https://terryndrieling.com/life-after-loss Connect with Danielle:Follow on Instagram @dlkruseConnect on FacebookFollow on TikTok @danielleleekruse Connect with Terryn:Follow on Instagram @terryn.drielingCheck out my websiteSend me an email at [email protected] & Links:The Myth of Closure: Ambiguous Loss in a Time of Pandemic and ChangeJoin the waitlist for the Good Movement CollectiveCheck out my merch shopGood Movement music by: Aaron EspePodcast produced by: Jill Carr Podcasting