The Grief & Growth Experience

The Grief and Growth Experience

The Heart Behind This Space

I didn’t become interested in grief work because I read about it in a textbook. I became interested in it because my husband died, and I had to learn how to survive a life I never asked for.

Hi, I’m Karin Kendall, and I’m so glad you’re here. I’d like to share a little bit about my story.

I was 45 years old when my husband, Matt, passed away from a sudden heart attack in 2023. He hadn’t been sick. We were just living our lives. One day I was a wife, and the next day I was a widow.

To say I was broken doesn’t even begin to touch the surface. Sometimes I think there are no words in the English language, or any language for that matter, that can truly describe the pain of losing your spouse.

I remember feeling too young to be living this life, but somehow also too old to imagine starting over.

But somewhere inside the horrible grief and trauma, something lit inside me. I became passionate about finding community and connection. The more I searched, the more I realized my greatest resource was other widows, my widow sisters. Some I talk to daily, some monthly, and some only every once in a while. Every single one of them has added something meaningful to my healing and my life.

That passion eventually evolved into The Grief and Growth Experience.

What I want to offer others is what I struggled to find in the beginning: someone who understands. Someone who isn’t telling you to “move on” or how you should be grieving. Someone who can sit beside you through the sadness, the anger, the laughter, the confusion, and all the strange moments in between. Someone who just genuinely gets it.

I’m grateful you found your way here, and I hope I can be a small part of helping you navigate this journey.

With love,

Karin

There are certain truths I have come to believe about grief. Walking this journey every single day is what has led me to these beliefs.

Grief is not linear
Healing doesn’t mean forgetting
Laughter and sadness can exist together
There is no “correct” timeline
Surviving counts
Sometimes growth looks tiny
Community matters deeply
You should never compare you grief to another widow's journey, your path is your own
You are loved
You are still worthy of joy

Just a few images of our love

Credentials & Experience

Widow - 5/21/2023
Certified Grief Coach
Founder of "Widow Goals, Tri-Cities Washington Area"
Certified Peer Support Specialist Training
Completion of Creating Behavioral Change Course, Wesleyan University
Community widow support organizer
Nearly 20 years of experience in emergency services and crisis communication
Public educator, trainer, and community advocate
Continuing education in grief support and personal growth
Founder of The Grief and Growth Experience

A Few Things About Me

Wife forever in my heart to Matt Kendall, even though widow is now part of my story
Lover of honest conversations, dark humor, coffee, and healing that doesn’t require pretending you’re ok
Proud Kramma (Karin Grandma) to Miss River Rose
Proud mama to Tillie and Koko Puff (two sweet 15 lb puppies)
Proud auntie to four fantastic humans
I use humor a lot, even in grief
I believe honesty matters more than pretending to have it all together
Deeply emotional, but also practical
I’m the kind of person who will sit with you in the hard stuff without trying to “fix” you
I value authenticity over perfection
Curly hair chaos survivor

If any part of my story resonates with you, I’d love to connect. You don’t have to have the right words or know exactly what you need yet.

Thank you for being here and visiting The Grief and Growth Experience. Since losing my husband, grief work, especially widow support, has become something I care deeply about. It means so much to me that you’re here, and I’m honored to help create a space where widows can connect, support one another, and navigate this life none of us expected together.

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