S3 - EP31 - The Grief Sherpa: Karen Sutton on surviving the unimaginable and finding purpose

In this episode the host Rosie Moss speaks with Karen Sutton. Karen is the UK’s first widow coach and a leading voice in the grief community, known for her deeply personal approach to navigating widowhood, parenting after loss, and reclaiming life after tragedy.

Together, Rosie and Karen delve into the raw terrain of life after the sudden death of a spouse. Karen shares the moment she learned of her husband Simon’s fatal cycling accident, the difficult task of telling her young daughters, and the silent years of muddling through grief while shepherding her family forward. The conversation balances the brutal truth of early widowhood with flashes of humour, love, and resilience, from the chaos of partying and drinking to the quiet breakthrough when her children helped her face herself. Karen illuminates how she moved from survival into purpose, transforming her experience into support for others, and why she now sees herself as a grief sherpa. With candid reflections and gentle insight, this episode explores what it means to parent, thrive, and feel joy again after unimaginable loss. “I did not want this to define my life in a negative way,” Karen says. “I want to find a way to live.”

The moment loss arrived: Karen recounts the trauma of learning about Simon’s sudden death and the instinctive scramble to protect her children from the truth, all before her own grief had time to land.

Parenting through pain: Both daughters responded to grief differently, one silent and one explosive, and Karen shares how she navigated their emotional and academic setbacks with compassion and determination.

Facing the mirror: After spiralling into denial and exhaustion, a quiet nudge from her children catalysed Karen’s transformation from survival to healing, fuelled by self-inquiry and self-kindness.

Living proof of growth: Karen challenges the idea that moving on means forgetting, instead modelling a life where grief and joy can coexist. “It is okay not to be okay, but it is also okay to be okay.”

Grief as choice and agency: Rather than feeling shaped by loss, Karen reclaimed agency, choosing from millions of different directions the one where she lives fully while honouring Simon’s memory.

The grief sherpa approach: Karen discusses the coaching work she now offers, from vibrant retreats to community support, blending grief care with personal development and authentic connection.

Letting go of perfection: The discussion unpacks how modelling self-compassion teaches children resilience. “You are not perfect, but you do not need to be, and you are doing your best.”



https://www.karensutton.co.uk


Chapters
0:02 Introduction to Karen Sutton: Grief & Widowhood
2:27 The Emotional Reality of Grief Work
2:33 The Breaking Point: When Grief Work Needs a Pause
4:01 Finding Balance: Supporting Others and Healing Yourself
5:11 Living After Loss: Holding Space for Grief and Life
7:56 The Day It Changed Forever
12:50 Parenting Through Grief: Pain, Resilience, and Growth
31:05 Rebuilding After Loss: New Chapters and Support Systems
33:49 Self-Kindness and Mental Health in Grief
43:45 Tools, Support, and Building Community
46:24 Grief as Transformation and Growth
59:24 Looking Ahead: Retreats, Hope, and Connection

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