From Bride to Widow in 5 Months: Writing Your Way to Healing with Dianne Brazell

From Bride to Widow in 5 Months: Writing Your Way to Healing with Dianne Brazell

"We have to remember our loved one is gone, and that's horrible. But we're still here, and we still have work to do. We still have purpose, we still have value, and that's to love our lives and help others love their lives as well." —Dianne Brazell Creativity became Dianne Brazell's lifeline after losing her husband, Paul, just five months after their wedding. In this episode of Live, Love, Survive, Thrive, Dr. Kimberly Hubenette sits down with author and educator Dianne Brazell, who went from bride to widow in the span of a terminal cancer diagnosis — and found her way through grief by writing letters to a man she wasn't ready to let go. Dianne shares three things that shaped her healing: writing as emotional release (including a chapter on anger she almost cut from her memoir), the unexpected gift of Paul's sisters becoming her closest travel companions, and learning — after a lifetime of fearing it — that she is her own best friend. Seven years out, Dianne describes her grief as a pain that's dropped from a nine or ten to a one or two most days. It spikes. It surfaces on birthdays and anniversaries. But it no longer defines her. Her new book, Weaving Peace: Creating Your Next Act, gives grievers practical tools to use photography, movement, music, and writing to rebuild. If you're in the early fog or years deep and still finding your footing, this conversation meets you there. Connect with Dr. Kimberly: Website [https://drkimberlyhubenette.com/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-hubenette-dds-magd-2800a624/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9--bH78AxF-FCR2ygP-Fyg] Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.com/khubenette/_created/] Episode Highlights: 02:42 Meet Dianne: From Bride to Widow in 5 Months 07:44 Losing Paul 13:47 Early Stages of Grief and Coping Mechanisms 19:52 Coping by Serving Others 26:18 Learning to Love Alone and Balancing Life 32:12 Recipe: Creative Chili Resources: Get Kim's Books 📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over [https://drkimberlyhubenette.com/book-grid/] 📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! [https://drkimberlyhubenette.com/book-live-love-survive-thrive/] Get Dianne's Book: 📖Weaving Peace: A Memoir of My Time with Paul [https://www.amazon.com/Weaving-Peace-Memoir-Time-Paul-ebook/dp/B0D63N7L4K?ref_=ast_author_dp_rw&th=1&psc=1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.CRst0XWoWmK3Odcmok-1hG-oLgcWjQ_-h9cYbz9dvcDGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.ERHy7GjaxXqBEigXXJiwUUOrrQv7G2RmBUvnG2lGBgk&dib_tag=AUTHOR] 📖Weaving Peace: Creating Your Next Act [https://www.amazon.com/Weaving-Peace-Creating-Your-Next-ebook/dp/B0GXYFPT1B/ref=pd_sim_d_sccl_1_1/134-9678134-3051754?pd_rd_w=QRCtr&content-id=amzn1.sym.7c24b67e-6f48-4291-a1d6-24d3e6952d7a&pf_rd_p=7c24b67e-6f48-4291-a1d6-24d3e6952d7a&pf_rd_r=ZVBYRVSHQ05C1KQH3QPJ&pd_rd_wg=EfozJ&pd_rd_r=0c3a0388-408e-4986-a6eb-26049f33273d&pd_rd_i=B0GXYFPT1B&psc=1] Thank you for listening. To keep my podcast alive, Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone? ☕️https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive [https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive]

Three Roads to Choose From After Losing Your Spouse with Dr. William Quan

(Special Episode) Category: Coping From Grief and Loss "Life was full of choices. You pick a road, you try not to look back, and you keep going down that road, and that's how life goes." —William Quan, DDS Eighteen years after losing his wife, Dr. William Quan found love again — and he says there were only three roads anyone walking through grief can take. In this special episode, Dr. Kimberly Hubenette sits down with her father, Dr. Quan, who lost his first wife nearly two decades ago and has been remarried to a fellow widow for 16 years. He breaks grief down into three concrete paths: live alone and cope solo, remarry and rebuild, or move in with family. He chose remarriage — and credits a chance encounter at a Chinese restaurant, where a fellow widow slipped him her phone number, changing his life. The conversation also covers something rarely discussed out loud: the signs many widows and widowers report from a departed spouse, from a light bulb that should've been ice-cold but wasn't, to a toddler grandson who swore his late grandmother read him bedtime stories. Father and daughter land on the same truth — you can love more than one person, just in different ways, and grief doesn't mean you stop living. If you're navigating loss, this episode offers a roadmap, not platitudes. Connect with Dr. Kimberly: Website [https://drkimberlyhubenette.com/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-hubenette-dds-magd-2800a624/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9--bH78AxF-FCR2ygP-Fyg] Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.com/khubenette/_created/] Episode Highlights: 02:30 A Mindfulness Lesson 06:05 Backstory: Dr. Quan's Widowhood — Losing His First Wife 10:54 Patients Sharing Grief: Conversations Beyond Dentistry 12:41 Dating After Loss ) 15:20 The Choice to Keep Living: 17:48 Three Ways to Cope with Spousal Loss 21:18 Memories Persist: Pride in Shared Life 23:00 Pick a Road & Move Forward 27:00 Signs From Beyond 31:30 Feeling Loved Ones' Presence & Unexplained Signs 33:00 What's Your Choice Resources: Books 📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette [https://drkimberlyhubenette.com/book-grid/] 📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette [https://drkimberlyhubenette.com/book-live-love-survive-thrive/] Podcast Living Through Grief: How to Keep Going After Loss with Dr. William Quan Part 1 [https://drkimberlyhubenette.com/dr-william-quan/] Thank you for listening. To keep my podcast alive, Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone? ☕️https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive [https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive]

Joyful Tenacity with Nancy J. Martin

"In my memoir, I talk about planning my suicide, and I had it all planned out, and then things came up, and I did not do that. And so now people tell me, I'm very tenacious, and I try to do it in a joyful manner." —Nancy J. Martin There are moments in life that test everything—your body, your spirit, your will to keep going. And in those moments, what carries you forward isn't perfection or certainty, but something steadier: a quiet, determined kind of joy. In this powerful episode, Dr. Kimberly Hubenette sits down with author Nancy J. Martin, who shares her extraordinary journey through a life-altering diagnosis, facial paralysis, abandonment, and the long road of rebuilding a life rooted in resilience, creativity, and connection. Her story doesn't shy away from the hard parts, but it shines a light on what it means to keep choosing life, even when it feels unbearable. From her darkest thoughts to embracing what she calls "joyful tenacity," Nancy opens up about living with visible difference, finding strength through expression, and creating a life filled with meaning, art, and human connection. If this story resonates, support the podcast and help keep these conversations going. Key Topics: • Choosing joyful tenacity in the face of adversity • Living with visible difference in a judgmental world • Finding strength through creativity and self-expression • Moving from despair toward purpose and connection • The role of community in building a meaningful life Connect with Dr. Kimberly: Website [https://drkimberlyhubenette.com/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-hubenette-dds-magd-2800a624/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9--bH78AxF-FCR2ygP-Fyg] Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.com/khubenette/_created/] Episode Highlights: 02:05 Meet Nancy: Widow, Author, Jeweler, Thriver 04:14 The Diagnosis That Changed Everything: Acoustic Neuroma 07:12 A Career in Fashion 09:50 Joyful Tenacity: Surviving Facial Paralysis, Abandonment, and Grief 17:35 How Community Heals 21:32 Facing the World Different: Grief, Public Stares, and Choosing Visibility 29:28 Foodie At Heart Resources: Books 📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette 📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette 📖https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07ZHQ2F12/allbooks?ingress=0&visitId=ed0bc148-5c71-4a84-bc01-a37218bef331 Thank you for listening. To keep my podcast alive, Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone? ☕️https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive

Rise From Loss: Daily Moves for Focus, Health, Connection with Michelle Skaff

"What you do in the moment is what matters. It's not what we achieve, or what we accomplish, or the money we make, but it's really who we are at that moment." —Michelle Skaff Loss narrows daily capacity and leaves routine fractured. Grief erodes attention, energy, and social reach, so small habits matter more than big plans. We outline three repeatable actions that rebuild focus, body resilience, and human connection. With a long career shift and deep personal losses, Michelle Skaff explains how simple rituals rebuilt purpose and wellbeing. Her arc ties career upheaval, meditation, and plant-based cellular support into practical recovery. Tune in to hear the full conversation. • Three things a day habit for focus • Rebuilding social bonds after loss • Daily movement and cellular health practices • Meditation and stillness as recovery tools • Turning grief into mission and meaning • Real-world anti-aging wellness approaches • Small routines that scale emotional resilience Connect with Dr. Kimberly: Website [https://drkimberlyhubenette.com/] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-hubenette-dds-magd-2800a624/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9--bH78AxF-FCR2ygP-Fyg] Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.com/khubenette/_created/] Episode Highlights: 02:48 Meet Michelle: Another Breath, Another Moment 09:17 Career Challenges and Personal Growth 11:42 Personal Losses and Building Resilience 18:04 At 71: Reversing Aging 22:37 Journey to Health Beats the Pain of Loss 27:40 Breakdown to Breakthrough 32:49 Leaving a Legacy: Be A Shooting Star Resources: Books 📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette 📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette To keep my podcast alive, Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone? ☕️https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive [https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive] Free Giveaway: 🎁Protandim® NRF2: https://beactivated.com/ [https://beactivated.com/]

Grief, Guilt, and Kids: Real Talk on Parenting After Loss with Devora Segall

"We have to know where the child is, and in order to do that, we have to first know where we are. We need to make sure that we're taken care of so that we can be there for our child. We need to validate ourselves, we need to give ourselves grace, we need to give ourselves slack." —Devora Segall Grief sits in the same room as parenting, yet most conversations stay silent about how loss reshapes home life, discipline, and connection with kids. This conversation brings grief, guilt, and the daily chaos of parenting into the open and offers grounded ways to create more calm and safety at home. Practical emotional tools, not perfection, sit at the center of this discussion on healing. Parenting coach and therapist Devora Segall shares how miscarriage, the loss of her father, and raising ten children led her to peaceful parenting and DBT-based skills. Her story shows how real families can move from constant yelling and shame to steadier, more mindful connections. Press play to hear how our grief story can become a growth story, including: Parenting after miscarriage and other losses • Using DBT skills for calmer parenting moments • Helping kids handle big feelings and triggers • When to share emotions with kids and when to protect them • What "peaceful parenting" looks like in real life • The role of self-care and vulnerabilities for stressed parents • How coaching and therapy support parents who feel stuck Connect with Dr. Kimberly: Website: https://drkimberlyhubenette.com/ [https://drkimberlyhubenette.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-hubenette-dds-magd-2800a624/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-hubenette-dds-magd-2800a624/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette/ [https://www.instagram.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette [https://www.facebook.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9--bH78AxF-FCR2ygP-Fyg [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9--bH78AxF-FCR2ygP-Fyg] Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/khubenette/_created/ [https://www.pinterest.com/khubenette/_created/] Episode Highlights: 01:56 Devorah's Journey: Miscarriage, Motherhood, and Discovering DBT 08:10 Parenting Through Loss: Validating Kids' Feelings and Vulnerabilities 09:23 Devorah's Books: Peaceful Parenting Solution and Trauma Aware Tools 14:15 Should Parents Hide Emotions From Kids 19:00 Hosting, Mentoring, and Devorah's Definition of Live Love Survive Thrive 23:01 Bridging Mind and Heart: Therapy, Coaching, and Post-Traumatic Growth 30:00 Give Yourself Grace Resources: Books 📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette 📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette Thank you for listening. To keep my podcast alive, Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone? https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive [https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive]