Tavona Givens is a Shameless Mom to two sons, a coach, writer, speaker, and a widow. She has always been in the business of healing, as a massage therapist and reiki master for over 13 years. She has developed an exceptional way of building trust and connection with every person she works with. With the sudden passing of her husband in 2014, it has been her mission to create space for widowed mamas like herself to use their pain as a catalyst for growth. She is the proud mother of two sons James and Jordan. She lives for family, travel, waterfronts, podcasts, chocolate, laughter, and random acts of kindness.  She holds a Bachelors in Liberal Arts, Master’s in Public Administration, and is VP of Education for ToastMasters. She is currently preparing to launch her own podcast. Tavona life was flipped upside down literally overnight with the very sudden passing of her husband, James.  I heard Tavona’s story a couple years ago when she first joined my community and I knew I wanted to have her on as a guest someday.  I am so honored to have her here to share what grief has looked like for her. Listen in to hear Tavona share: The intimate details of losing her husband very quickly and completely unexpectedly The trajectory of her grief and what it looks like 5 years after losing her husband How her boundaries and badassery have strengthened as she’s worked through grief The theory and impact of “widow brain” Her belief that trauma is not our destiny - it’s our greatest catalyst for growth How joy and hope and pain and grief all coexist How she’s rebuilt her life on her terms - including writing her ideal life narrative Links Mentioned: Tavona Givens Facebook Instagram: Tavona Givens Tavona Givens Thank you to our sponsors: Talkspace: To match with your perfect therapist for a fraction of the price of traditional therapy, go to Talkspace, Make sure to use the code SHAMELESS to get $65 off your first month and show your support for the show. Honey: Get Honey for FREE at Join Honey. Fabfitfun: To get $10 off your first subscription box go to Fabfitfun and use the code SHAMELESS at checkout.