Dating After Loss When You Have Kids
Live Love Loss
In Episode 16 of Live Love & Loss, Jason McIntosh and Katrina Madewell get real about one of the most complicated parts of dating after losing a spouse: your kids. Whether your children are little, teens, or grown adults, the emotional landmines can feel the same—fear, grief, loyalty, and the panic of “If I let this change happen… do I lose my parent too?” Katrina opens up about what it’s like to be a widow and a mom with two adult kids at home, where boundaries suddenly feel blurry and every move gets questioned. Jason shares the long-view perspective of a widower further down...
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Grief & Faith: Wrestling with Belief After Loss
Live Love Loss
In Episode 15 of Live Love & Loss, hosts Jason McIntosh and Katrina Madewell pick up where the last conversation left off—and this one doesn’t hold back. This episode dives headfirst into the awkward, emotional, and uncharted territory of dating after profound loss. Katrina opens up about navigating desire, boundaries, guilt, humor, mistakes, and self-discovery after widowhood—while Jason brings grounded perspective, empathy, and real-time reflection. What happens when you’re not looking for love… but connection finds you anyway? How do you balance freedom, grief, intimacy, and...
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Rebuilding Life After Multiple Losses
Live Love Loss
Widows, widowers, and anyone re-entering the chaos of modern dating… this one’s for you. In Episode 13 of Live Love Loss, co-hosts Jason McIntosh and Katrina Madewell ditch the script and free-flow into a very real, very unfiltered conversation about dating after loss, chemistry, and what happens when you finally let yourself live again. From spicy first dates and “widows’ fire” to friends-with-benefits, dating apps, profile red flags, and the difference between sex, intimacy, and real connection — nothing is off limits. Jason shares what 17 years of single-dad life after losing...
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Milestones, Anniversaries & Holidays After Loss
Live Love Loss
In Episode 14 of Live Love Loss, co-hosts Jason Mackintosh and Katrina Madewell toss the outline, hit record, and get real about what happens after loss—when you start living again and the outside world has opinions. They talk about the unspoken pressure widows and widowers feel, the “too soon” judgment that shows up when you’re finally breathing again, and why nobody else gets to set your timeline. You’ll also hear honest, funny, and sometimes frustrating dating-in-the-wild stories—from awkward social “setups” to navigating when (or whether) to share you’re widowed—plus...
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Keeping the Spark Alive in a Healthy Relationship
Live Love Loss
When you’ve loved deeply and lost, “getting the spark back” can feel impossible — or even disloyal. In Episode 12 of Live Love Loss, Katrina and Jason open up about what it really looks like to rediscover connection, playfulness, and intimacy after grief, divorce, or long-term relationships that have gone numb on autopilot. Katrina shares honestly about being married for over 30 years, the comfort of routine, and how easy it is for love lives to slip into cruise control. Jason talks about life 17 years after losing his wife, staying single, failed attempts at relationships, and what...
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Rekindling the Flame: Bringing Spark Back to a Stale Relationship
Live Love Loss
What happens when the person you built your whole life with is suddenly gone… and you’re left asking, “Who am I now?” In this deeply honest conversation, host Jason McIntosh and co-host Katrina Madewell open up about what it really looks like to rediscover your identity after losing a spouse. From the random waves of sadness that hit out of nowhere, to the awkward “odd one out” moments at dinners, vacations, and kids’ events — they talk about all of it. You’ll hear them explore: How grief quietly reshapes your identity, even years later Why “being strong” doesn’t...
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Finding Yourself Again: Identity After Widowhood
Live Love Loss
In Episode 10 of Live Love Loss, Katrina and Jason pick up where Part 1 left off for an unfiltered look at dating in 2025 after losing a spouse. From hookup-culture curveballs to real talk on boundaries, safety, and when (or if) to disclose you’re a widow/widower, this conversation is equal parts practical and compassionate—with a few laugh-out-loud detours (hello, grocery-cart “meet-cute” experiment). What we cover Grief meets dating: giving yourself permission to try, fail forward, and have fun again Hookup culture & unclear intentions: reading between the lines without...
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Dating in 2025: Real Talk for Widows/Widowers
Live Love Loss
Whether you’re a widow, widower, or simply re-entering the dating world, today’s “new rules” can feel like a maze—especially after loss. In Live Love Loss Ep. 9, co-hosts Jason McIntosh and Katrina Madewell dig into what dating looks like in 2025: the breadcrumbing epidemic (and how to spot it fast), slow-drip texting vs. genuine interest, first-date safety (practical steps that actually help), emotional intelligence and compatibility, the reality of hookup culture, when you’re not ready yet, and why matchmaking might beat apps for people who value aligned core values. Real...
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Companionship After Loss: Is It Okay to Love Again?
Live Love Loss
Is it okay to love again after losing a spouse? In this episode of Live Love Loss, Katrina (widow, 7 months) and Jason (widower, 17 years) talk openly about companionship after loss—timelines, guilt, kids’ reactions, permission from partners and in-laws, and the often-avoided topic of widow’s fire. You’ll learn how to honor your person while making room for a second act, plus practical scripts for talking to family. 👉 Next episode: dating apps & boundaries after grief. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 03:15 Is it okay to love again? 09:40 Kids & family conversations 17:20 Guilt and...
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Grieving with Children: Helping Them Heal Episode 7 of Live Love Loss Podcast with Katrina Madewell and Jason McIntosh
Live Love Loss
Supporting a grieving child is hard, especially when your own heart is shattered. In this episode, Katrina (a widow and mom) and Jason (widower and dad) share candid, lived wisdom on helping kids heal: What to say (and avoid) with age-appropriate honesty How to normalize big feelings (anger, confusion, guilt) without shame Simple rituals and memory-keeping (weekly family dinners, story sharing) The Gratitude Journal Challenge (100/200/365 days) to rewire mindset Real talk on single-parent survival during the fog of grief One protective step many families miss: adequate life...
info_outlineIn this powerful follow-up to our last episode, Katrina Madewell and co-host Jason dive deeper into the 7 stages of grief—and how they shift, repeat, and resurface over the years.
From the raw emotions of year one to the unexpected waves that hit in year five, this episode reveals the truths we rarely talk about: that grief loops, healing isn’t a destination, and closure might be a myth.
You’ll hear real, unfiltered moments from Katrina and Jason that didn’t fit into the traditional "stages"—because the truth is, grief isn’t a checklist. It’s a lifelong companion.
🎙️ In this episode:
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How the stages of grief evolve over time
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The myth of closure (and what healing really looks like)
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Why grief doesn’t follow a timeline
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Katrina and Jason’s unfiltered personal moments
If you’ve ever felt like you’re grieving “wrong,” this conversation will remind you that you’re not.
💔 You’re not alone.
🕊️ Next Episode Teaser: The First 30 Days After a Loss—What Actually Happens Behind the Scenes