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 one What NOT to say to a grieving spouse or widow — and what to say instead How to handle fear, loneliness, and the holidays after loss Why you shouldn't make major life decisions in the first year after losing a spouse How family and community support healing after grief How to find joy again while honoring your loved one's memory ABOUT OUR GUEST Pastor 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 STEPS If this helped you, please share it with someone walking through loss.  Tap HERE to send us a text! Support the show JOIN THE FAMILY BUSINESS WITH OUR NEWSLETTER Sign 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 newsletter CONNECT WITH THE FAMILY BUSINESS Follow Us on Instagram and Facebook Subscribe on YouTube Leave a review MORE PODCASTS YOU'LL ENJOY Find more podcasts coming from our Metro Life Studios team, including: My Morning Devotional Men's Morning Devotional The 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