Widowed Village

Created by widowed people for widowed people. We get you.

Created by widowed people for widowed people. We get you.

What is Widowed Village?

Widowed Village is a virtual community hosted by Soaring Spirits International, which offers access to widowed peers, research-informed resources, and opportunities for connecting with and learning from other people who understand the life-altering experience of widowhood.

Do I Qualify?

Any widowed person is welcome here: married, never married, planning to be married, divorced at the time of death, all genders, straight, LGBTQ+, religious, not religious, widowed folks with kids and without, complicated or conventional relationships…anyone who has outlived the person with whom they’d planned to spend their life fits into our definition of widowed.

Join the Village

Widowed Village's research-informed resources are available to any person in need of support for themselves, a friend, client, patient or loved one. Interaction within the village is reserved for widowed people only, and joining as a member will be required to access the community discussion pages.

Widowed Time Frame

Perspective, Resources and Community for However Long You’ve been Widowed

Newly Widowed
Recently Widowed
Middle Widowed
Seasoned Widowed
We have a widowed person for that

We have a widowed person for that

Every widowed experience is different, and yet the way the person you love died may influence how you grieve. At Soaring Spirits we've discovered that connecting with other people whose loved one died in the same way as yours offers a unique and powerful comfort as you move through your grief.

We Have a Widowed Person for That is a place to find others whose lives have been altered in some of the same ways as yours. Sudden loss, long or short term illness, suicide, accidents or deaths complicated by addiction or mental health struggles: this portion of our website offers videos, resources, books, and group connections that facilitate the exploration of topics unique to the type of death your love one experienced, and how that death experience influences your healing.

You will find friends here who get it, and who get you.

Support for Newly Widowed

Support for Newly Widowed

Widow. Widower. Widowed. After your spouse or partner dies, feeling that you are the only widowed person in the world is not unusual, but it can be terrifying. We can’t take away the pain you feel right now, but we can help. The community here at Soaring Spirits will offer you understanding, friendship, inspiration, and encouragement as you learn to live without your person.

Research Informed Resources

Research Informed Resources

Current research on life after loss can inform, educate and provide a framework for the widowed community as we rebuild our lives. Access resilience-based books, articles, podcasts, websites and videos which will provide powerful information to support your healing journey.

Find a Regional Group

Find a Regional Group

Join thousands of widowed men and women who meet in cities throughout the world, including Canada, Ireland and the United States. These groups help widowed people rebuild social networks that foster healing through community connection. Groups meet twice monthly and are led by Soaring Spirits trained volunteer facilitators.

SSI Document Center

SSI Document Center

Our document center includes important information for the newly widowed, general resources for widowed people, and information for their support networks. Click here for access to The Newly Widowed Checklist, Common Grief Reactions in Adults, The Widowhood Resilience Scale, 10 Ways to Ease Trauma, and many other supportive documents.

Camp Widow Events

Camp Widow Events

This uplifting, life-affirming, conference-style program (both live and virtual) allows widowed people to gather and create strong community connections with other widowed people. Weekend Camp Widow® events are held annually in San Diego, Tampa, and Toronto, and one day Pop-Up Camps are held in various locations throughout the world.

SSI Book Library

SSI Book Library

The Soaring Spirits library offers a collection of books written by authors with backgrounds in mental health; books by our Camp Widow presenters; books recommended by widowed peers, and books written by other widowed people. Each section title identifies the category that applies to the book you are viewing and provides details for purchase.

Widowed Pen Pal Program

Widowed Pen Pal Program

Our Widowed Pen Pal program will match you with another widowed person for one-on-one, supportive e-mail correspondence. The Widowed Pen Pal program was designed for those who would like to correspond with one person consistently, rather than join a group forum. For your safety, our procedure for matching pen pals includes verification of widowhood, which we process through our Widowed Village program.

More Info

Widowed Village Around the World

Soaring Spirits International offers support, resources and community for widowed people around the world. Our Widowed Village program, which was created in 2010, has been accessed in 153 different countries, by tens of thousands of widowed people seeking solace in the comfort of a life-affirming community.

Widowed Village Around the World

Widow’s Voice Blog

Imagine finding a blog that gives voice to the pain you are living and the words you've thought, but never shared. We've amassed a library that includes thousands of posts written by widowed people, that normalize the sometimes crazy process of grief and loss. Our blogs are searchable and will lead you to specific topics or questions. You can also read every post written by any of your favorite authors by searching their name. Every single word that you will read on this blog was written for widowed people, by widowed people.

More Posts

A Second Chance

A Second Chance

Jul 03, 2022

So there has been something going on that is a very big deal that I have wanted to talk about for quite awhile in here, but until now, I didnt have my husband Nick’s permission to do so. Why his...

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My Past in My Future

My Past in My Future

Jul 02, 2022

I don’t know how to navigate this. I don’t know how to balance out this future placed bereavement. I have been pressuring myself to “figure it out” because I feel overwhelmed by a lot in life...

Read More

Message in a Bottle

Message in a Bottle

Jun 30, 2022

As you knew would happen, it’s been an emotional couple of weeks for me as I approach the second anniversary of the date of your passing. I have no clue where to find you or, really, any way to know...

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July 4th – Our Wedding Anniversary

July 4th – Our Wedding Anniversary

Jun 29, 2022

Happy Anniversary, my love. Just a couple of kids who fell in love and were married just out of high school. Who knew we’d spend 51+ years together on this earth? A spark made it possible. The...

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WeWe – or Widows Encouraging Widows’ Exploits

WeWe – or Widows Encouraging Widows’ Exploits

Jun 28, 2022

Photo by Jonny Gios – Coniston Water – on Unsplash I have been in the/my Motherland – England – these past days. It’s been wonderful. And it’s been weird. Though as I write, I have...

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Tackling the Garage

Tackling the Garage

Jun 27, 2022

Tony was a man of many skills. He was a hunter, a carpenter, a BBQ smoker, a gardener, and sometimes a mechanic. With all these skills and hobbies comes a lot of material things. Our garage shelves...

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Its not Fair!

Its not Fair!

Jun 26, 2022

There are times in this widowed life where I just want to scream at the universe or God or whatever randomness helps things to happen to people … ITS NOT FAIR!!! Its not fair that a widowed acquaintance...

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Another Layer to the Levels In Life

Another Layer to the Levels In Life

Jun 25, 2022

I’m happy to say that yesterday my boyfriend Devin and I got engaged! Yesterday I reached a new place in life that I have never been too before. Clayton and I never had the opportunity to get to this...

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Weekly Journal Prompt

Journal Prompt

How did/do you fill your time since your partner’s death? Has that changed?

Journals

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Sponsors

Widowed Village is grateful for the incredible support of our corporate and community sponsors. Our work is fueled by their generosity.

Kathleen Moore Rehl Moving Forward on Your Own Family Foundation