Listen "BW 164: From Grief to Fire: How Casey Rebuilt Life After Losing Her Husband with a Newborn | Widow Story"
Episode Synopsis
Casey Engles lost her husband Joel only months after giving birth to their daughter.
In this episode of The Brave Widow Show, Casey opens up about:
Meeting her soulmate at 17 and navigating his 8-year cancer battle
The heartbreaking reality of becoming a widow with a 5-month-old baby
How she balanced grief, postpartum recovery, and solo motherhood
The difference between therapy and grief coaching (and how both helped)
Why she decided to join Brave Widow, and the powerful transformation it gave her
Her next chapter: launching The Widow Fire Podcast to support other young widows with kids
👉 If you’re a widow feeling lost, lonely, or stuck, this conversation will remind you: you are not alone, and you can build a beautiful future again.
Connect with Casey:
Follow the Widow Fire Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/widow-fire/id1831395012
✨ Work with Emily: Ready to stop just surviving and start rebuilding? Book a free consult at bravewidow.com.
Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction 2:00 – Casey’s love story with Joel 4:00 – Brain cancer diagnosis and years of treatment 7:00 – Becoming a widow with a newborn 12:00 – Therapy vs. grief coaching: what’s the difference? 20:00 – The reality of parenting in grief 26:00 – Letting light back in: home changes as healing 33:00 – Casey’s advice to widows considering coaching 37:00 – Launching the Widow Fire Podcast 46:00 – Final encouragement + Brave Widow Academy invitation
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Ready for more support?
Join the Brave Widow Academy: https://bravewidow.com/academy
Book a free consult here: https://calendly.com/bravewidow/widow-consult-call
Download the Brave New Widow Starter Kit: A free guide to help you navigate the first steps of widowhood. → https://bravewidow.com/start
I’m Emily Tanner. I was widowed at age 37, one month shy of our 20 year wedding anniversary. Nathan and I have four beautiful children together, and my world was turned completely upside down when I lost him.
Now, I love my life again! I’m able to experience joy, achieve goals and dreams I thought I’d lost, and rediscover this next version of me.
I did the work.
I invested in coaching for myself.
I learned what I needed to do to move forward and took the steps.
I implemented the tools and strategies that I use for my clients in my coaching program.
This is for you, if:
You want a faith-based approach to coaching
You want to move forward after loss, and aren’t sure how
You want to enjoy life without feeling weighed down by guilt, sadness, or regret
You want a guide to help navigate this journey to the next version of you
You want to rediscover who you are
Schedule a consult with Emily: https://calendly.com/bravewidow/widow-consult-call?month=2024-08
Find and take the next steps to move forward (without “moving on”).
FOLLOW me on SOCIAL:
Twitter | @brave_widow
Instagram | @brave_widow
Facebook | / bravewidow
YouTube | @bravewidow
More episodes of the podcast Brave Widow Show
BW 174: Why Time Wasn’t Healing My Grief (And The Real Reason I Created Brave Widow Academy)
05/11/2025
BW 171: From Isolation to Self-Trust: The 4-Part System Every Widow Needs (Season 2 of Grief)
07/10/2025
BW 169: The 5 Scores That Tell You What To Do Next (Widow Self-Audit + Free Consult Sheet)
23/09/2025
BONUS REPLAY: 4 Seasons of Grief
10/09/2025
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