The Light of Dr. Steven Southwick Shines Brightly
1948-2022- Gone too soon, always remembered at Modern Widows Club.
(Photo Credit: 2018 Widow Empowerment Event- Orlando, FL)
Today, I honor the memory of my cherished friend, Dr. Steve Southwick, on the anniversary of his passing, April 20, 2022.
Our story began in March 2015 when the Modern Widows Club gained attention from the Wall Street Journal in an article titled, “Resilience Can Be Learned: How a widow traced a long path back toward optimism.” This exposure introduced me to a pivotal work by Dr. Charney and Dr. Southwick, titled Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life’s Greatest Challenges, now in its third edition. Dr. Southwick notably included Modern Widows Club as a featured organization in this edition, spotlighting our role in empowering widowed women to foster resilience. His posthumous acknowledgment was a bittersweet tribute.
Dr. Southwick, a distinguished psychiatrist at Yale University School of Medicine, alongside Dr. Dennis Charney, Dean of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, pioneered an encompassing approach to human resilience, blending neurobiology, genetics, psychology, physical and vocational activities, and spirituality.
I pause today to reflect on our profound friendship and his significant contributions to the fields of stress management, resilience building, and personal growth. His work profoundly impacted our nonprofit’s direction, offering practical, actionable guidance that continues to shape our programs and services.
Since reading his book, after being spotlighted in that 2015 Wall Street Journal article, it has served as a beacon for me. The principles and research he laid out have not only deepened my understanding but also equipped me with the tools to face life's hurdles with newfound vigor and hope.
His remarkable talent for blending scientific detail with captivating personal anecdotes transformed his book into a cornerstone for all who read it. His dedication to delving into and sharing the core concepts of resilience has undeniably altered many lives, mine included. Moreover, he possessed a wonderful sense of humor; despite the gravity of his research and the stories shared, he never became overly serious. He exemplified a perfect balance, embodying the best qualities of humanity.
When I learned of his passing from cancer, I was overwhelmed with grief in my office at Modern Widows Club. Unable to comprehend the reality, I sobbed, feeling his loss from this world as such a blessing in my life and to our organizations mission. Despite my hopes of meeting Steve in person, circumstances—his illness, the distance between us, and the pandemic—prevented it. The closest we ever came was a virtual connection during our 2018 Widow Empowerment Event, and many, many video calls and emails back and forth, where he generously shared his insights on building resilience through our shared experiences. He believed in Modern Widows Club mission and saw how the love of our stories was building resilient legacies of love.
On this poignant day, his Angelversary, I am profoundly thankful for his enduring support and for the wisdom he imparted. His friendship has been invaluable, and I cherish every learning opportunity he provided. His legacy continues to inspire and guide me. I’m honored now to be friends with his beautiful wife and widow Bernadette, who generously donated his book at our 2023 Widow Empowerment Event attendees to have in their own personal libraries. Their legacy of love continues.
Let us commit ourselves to keep his memory alive in our communities.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Carolyn Moor
Modern Widows Club Founder and President
Is it possible to locate your 2015 article? The link requires a subscription to WSJ.