I’ve always been a joyful person, but I became so angry after my husband died. I would yell at my kids for normal stuff, like spilling milk or getting dirt on their clothes. I knew that wasn’t the life I wanted, because I would feel so horrible afterward. But in the moment, I couldn’t stop. Krista told me to think of my thoughts like a platter. I have lots of options, and I can pick and choose how I want to respond to any situation. So now, instead of allowing myself to explode, I take a second and think, “Okay, they just spilled water. What do I want to do here? What do I want to say?” I’m much more calm and peaceful than before – and my kids are, too! Mom Goes On is truly life changing. I know I can’t go back in time, but I wish I had done it sooner. I floundered for three and a half years after Todd died, just barely surviving. Now I actually like my life! Even though Todd is not here, I like the rest of it. It’s all thanks to Krista and the things she teaches.

I lost my husband to suicide in December of 2018. The first year or so was a blur. I was in shock and I busying myself, doing a great job of avoiding my feelings. A year and a half after he died, I found The Widowed Mom Podcast and thought to myself, “Okay, Krista gets it. She is going to help me.” When I learned of the Mom Goes On program, I was curious. At first, I was a little bit skeptical of the group setting, as I didn't want to be lost in a crowd. What I discovered was that being in a group is like finding a bunch of new best friends that you have this terrible thing in common with, and you help each other through. I have grown so much, feel so supported, and have gained some really powerful tools. Mom Goes On is a great way to get your life back. And I love it so much, I signed up again for Mom Goes On Masters!

My husband, Eric, passed away four months before I signed up for coaching. I was really overwhelmed with the idea of solo parenting and figuring out how to do life without him. I started looking into anything and everything people would suggest, and Mom Goes On was the first thing that felt concrete. From my time in Mom Goes On, I feel more present and able to enjoy the things that we have, because I'm not completely overwhelmed by being a solo parent. I can feel frustrated and let it flow through me without snapping or yelling. I don't lay in bed beating myself up and thinking about all the things that went wrong. There’s a sense of calm that wasn’t there before. I’ve learned that I’m strong. I’m capable of doing hard things and handling things calmly, with as much grace as possible. And I’m capable of making good decisions for myself and the girls. I didn't even know what to hope for when I joined Mom Goes On because I was so in the depths of grief. Now I feel so confident that I can be happy and love my life.

I was originally looking for a dating coach, but I wasn’t sure if they could help widows, and I wasn't sure I was ready to date. My colleague sent me Krista, and I was drawn to her energy and enthusiasm. On the first call, she asked what I wanted in life. I have a big list of goals and I wanted to go, go, go all the time and bypass feelings, because I tend to think accomplishing things will resolve feelings. I didn't want to feel inadequate, ashamed, unseen, or unlovable. Krista helped me slow down, look at my feelings and thoughts, and then figure out a path to get where I want to go. Whenever I feel stuck or overwhelmed, she coached me on how everything can be figured out. The takeaway is that I can relax into uncertainty. That feels a little scary, but mostly it feels empowering. Krista helps me slow down and locate myself in a compassionate, objective way. She helped me lean into uncomfortable feelings in order to have the life that I want.