The path to healing isn’t linear, and you don’t have to walk it alone.

We at the Paisley Project understand how life-altering the loss of a spouse can be. Everything that was once familiar and known and expected is suddenly, drastically, tragically different.

But we believe that there is hope, not only to survive devastating loss, but to thrive and move toward new purpose and meaning.

We’re here to help,
one moment at a time

Early in our history, we recognized that grief is not linear. There are no definitive “stages” and no accurate timelines.

As writer Amy Boardman Rejme wrote, “deep, profound grief is just weird. So, keep that in mind when you wonder why grieving people do (or don’t do) what you think they should do, or what seems normal.”

While there is no one path that works for everyone, we have identified “categories” of the grieving process, which we call by the acronym L.I.V.E.

Our approach was created
by widows, for widows

Loss

The “L” stands for LOSS, and represents the many different parts of moving through the initial loss. Loss of a spouse, a partner, a co-parent, a life-style, as well as an image of one’s life.

Identity

The “I” stands for restoring IDENTITY. One of the most profound aspects of widowhood is the loss of your former self and the life you envisioned. Yet, not all of your identity is lost. Much of it can be restored, as you uncover the parts of yourself that remain—a sturdy place to begin rebuilding.

Vision

The “V” stands for VISION and represents the silver lining of loss. You have an opportunity to reimagine your life from the ground up. What would you like to see in your future?

Engagement

The “E” stands for ENGAGEMENT. With time and healing, many widows feel drawn to re-engage in the world, shifting from surviving the loss to using their gifts and experiences to thrive in a new normal.