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Teresa Amaral Beshwate, MPH, is an author and life coach who exclusively helps widows to move forward and learn to live and love their life again after the loss of their spouse. Her latest book, Life Reconstructed: A Widow’s Guide to Coping with Grief, is now available.

Latest Posts By Teresa Beshwate

2 months ago

How to Best Support a Widow Without Making Empty Promises

In my conversations with women who were widowed suddenly, I sometimes ask, “What do you wish you had known?” One of the most common answers is, “That the people who said they would be there for me would, in fact, not be there for me…

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4 months ago

Don’t Deck the Halls (If You Don’t Want to)

If this December you are feeling anything but merry and bright, it’s perfectly okay. There is no requirement to be “in the spirit,” or peaceful or joyful. And by all means, if you don’t feel like it, don’t deck the halls or hang the stockings with care…

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5 months ago

Can Gratitude Stall Healing? Yes, When It’s Forced!

As a life coach for widows, I often talk with people who are using gratitude against themselves. Self-inflicted, forced gratitude is how many people attempt to kick themselves into a better emotional state. It isn’t effective…

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6 months ago

Why People Are Difficult and What to Do About It

Think about the person who frustrates you the most. Perhaps it’s a family member, colleague, neighbor, or friend. Maybe you find yourself thinking, They just don’t seem to get it, or their behavior is completely unacceptable. Wouldn’t it be nice…

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8 months ago

Can You Pinpoint Your Identity After 60?

With six or more decades of life under our belt, we have lived long enough to gain new identities and release old ones. In some cases, identity is established based on our phase of life. We were first a daughter, then a student, perhaps a wife…

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9 months ago

How the Wisdom of the Older Generation Can Strip Limitations and Point to Longevity

My husband and I were out of state, celebrating our wedding anniversary when his heart stopped beating. I was 39 years old and suddenly, despite my best efforts, I was a widow. I had no clue how I was going to navigate this unfamiliar territory…

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10 months ago

How Judgmental Comments Reveal Our Own Self-Deprecating Thoughts

Imagine that I said to you, “I hate your purple hair. It looks terrible on you.” Assuming that your hair is any color except purple, you might wonder about my eyesight but aside from that, you wouldn’t give the comment a second thought…

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12 months ago

Why Being Negative Is Natural for Us

Human brains are hard-wired in primitive ways and have just one goal – survival. They achieve the goal of keeping us alive in three primary ways: by prompting us to stay safe, seek pleasure, and be efficient. Before humans were established…

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1 year ago

How Creating a Belief Plan Will Help You Feel Better Immediately

If you feel stuck in a less-than-ideal life and can’t seem to find your way forward, consider that it may be because our brains are made for efficiency. The main goal of our primitive human brain is to keep us alive, and one way it accomplishes…

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1 year ago

Will I Be Happy Again After the Loss of My Spouse? 6 Tips to Help You Embrace the New You

Just after the loss of a spouse, we are often absolutely certain that we will never be happy again. Even if it felt remotely possible, being happy again would feel like an insult to our beloved…

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