Tag: Sudden Loss Management

The Travis Manion Foundation – Finding Healing Through Service to Others (Ep. 6)

~ The Widow Empowerment Project

What if your deepest pain could be transformed into your life’s greatest purpose?

Losing a life partner is a profound and disorienting experience that can leave one grappling with feelings of intense anger and sadness.  Those emotions can create a paralysis that prevents us from moving forward or be the catalyst that forces us to reevaluate our entire lives.  

In this episode of the Widow Empowerment Project, host Andy Dziedzic welcomes Stephany Richards – a widow who found healing through volunteer service.  After losing her husband at age 24, Stephany made the decision to channel her anger and sadness into action by participating in an expedition to Alaska. This experience helped her connect with other members of the widowed community and became a turning point when she realized that beauty and loss could coexist together. This newfound clarity led her to engage with the Travis Manion Foundation (TMF), a service-driven nonprofit focused on community improvement.

Through therapy and her volunteer work with Travis Manion Foundation, Stephany found a way to turn her grief into meaningful action. Her journey illustrates how serving others can transform pain into a powerful source of purpose and connection.

Andy and Stephany discuss:

  • The emotional aftermath of losing a spouse and its impact on one’s life and identity
  • Stephany’s personal journey from profound grief and anger to finding solace in community and service
  • How channeling anger and loss into community involvement aids in emotional recovery
  • The role of the Travis Manion Foundation in fostering healing through volunteer work
  • The foundation’s four major initiatives – Operation Legacy projects that support various national observances and community needs
  • Practical advice on finding a support system and the importance of taking control of one’s healing journey

 

Resources:

Get in Touch with the Travis Manion Foundation

Get in Touch with the Widow Empowerment Project

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Building Your Support Network with Crisis Navigation Partner, Debra Woog (Ep. 4)

~ The Widow Empowerment Project

Losing a loved one is a difficult milestone that often evolves into a crisis situation.  Frequently, many extremely important decisions need to be made quickly, under intense pressure and emotion.  Without an adequate support network of friends, family, and professionals, completing even simple tasks can seem insurmountable. 

Join Andy Dziedzic, MBA as he talks with Debra Woog, a Crisis Navigation Partner® with over 30 years of experience shepherding clients through crises and crossroads by creating and implementing a practical plan of action together.  Debra describes the critical steps to take in managing the loss of a spouse and how to confidently navigate the variety of decisions to be made, especially when there is little to no warning.  Together, Debra and Andy share valuable insights and best practices for civilians and business owners to best prepare for the unexpected upheaval of becoming a member of the widowed community.

Andy and Debra discuss: 

  • Building the skills to effectively navigate crisis management 
  • How to identify and assemble a rock-solid support network before a crisis happens
  • Preparing for difficult conversations with friends and loved ones in the wake of a loss, and the benefits of professional guidance when needed
  • The importance of community, communication, and capacity building during times of grief
  • How a Crisis Navigation Partner® can provide invaluable assistance during intense, decision-heavy life changes
  • And more…

 

Resources:

Get in Touch with the Widow Empowerment Project: 

Connect with Debra Woog:

About Our Guest: 

Debra Woog is a Crisis Navigation Partner® and founder of Connect2. She provides leaders with expertise, structure and empathy so they can process difficult situations, connect with necessary resources, communicate effectively, and lead with a clear mind and solid strategy. Having experienced her own crises and crossroads, Debra realizes the importance of an outside resource to provide perspective while navigating difficult circumstances, decisions, and conversations. 

For more than two decades, Debra Woog has guided professionals to accelerate their individual development and career growth with outstanding communications. Her career path includes conducting primary research at Harvard Business School for an award-winning book, directing admissions and career development for the MIT dual-Master’s program Leaders for Global Operations, and advising technology companies. 

The Boston Globe profiled Debra for her outstanding abilities to select talented candidates, motivate and develop employees, and resolve conflicts between people as well as between organizations. Her work has also been featured in Forbes, Inc., US News & World Report and more.

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