Look and Listen

Biography

I grew up in a small town in Southeastern Wisconsin, and spent most of my life in the Midwest. I moved to Minnesota as a young adult, married and settled down to raising a family of 2 girls and 2 boys. Volunteer work and weekends at the family cabin rounded out my life. My husband, who had rheumatoid arthritis, died when I was fifty,leaving four children behind. My life changed radically. I returned to work full-time and began to journal. I now live in sunny Arizona, where I write, speak, and connect with people personally, and through my website www.judystrong.com. It is my desire and intention to help others to survive and thrive following adversity and loss. As a survivor, I can connect to grievers, and my website offers comfort and confidence to those seeking help.

Inspiration

I have thought of myself as a writer from the tender age of 10. I loved describing things in words - ideas,people, events, landscapes, and I especially liked to write tall tales. The journal I began after my husband died became No Time to Grieve.It is the guide book I needed to help solve the problems of early grief. Knowing that, if I put my mind to it, I could describe the steps necessary to move from mourning to new life, I read through my journal and began writing. I want my writing to be both informational and supportive, giving readers a well-rounded approach to wholeness and growth. In meeting and connecting with people, I discovered that encouragement and knowledge were crucial to their understanding of grief and loss, and my writing and teaching reflect that need. Learning from one who has been there gives hope and confidence as they heal and move forward.