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Jake Abbott: Creative Expression and Art Therapy for Children

Posted on February 15, 2016 - by Heidi Horsley

Jake Abbott works with the Seattle-based non-profit organization, , which offers creative therapy for bereaved children. He was interviewed by Dr. Gloria Horsley and says his organization publishes books that help with art therapy. Blending narrative, art and cognitive based therapy was the driving force behind five books that help children handle trauma. Bullying, divorce and, of course, death are all traumatic events. Finding hope after loss is challenging for everyone, including children. One tip Abbott offers is identifying partnerships and resources that specialize in child therapy. Art with Heart builds partnerships with local hospitals, focusing on everything from doodling […]

Valentine’s Day Message: It Does Get Better

Posted on February 14, 2016 - by Cathy Seehuetter

Valentine’s Day 1995: I had just sat down at my desk in my home office for a busy day work-wise when the phone rang. It was Nina calling me from Park High School. “Mom, you have to help me. I need to have something for Chris (her new boyfriend) for Valentine’s Day. I am pretty sure that he got me something and I really want to get him something too.” Furthermore, she knew exactly what she wanted: glow in the dark stars, like the ones she had on her bedroom ceiling. The place to find them was at Spencer’s Gifts […]

Diana Wright: TAPS Youth Programs

Posted on February 13, 2016 - by Heidi Horsley

The recent National Alliance for Grieving Children conference brought together Dr. Heidi Horsley and Diana Wright of TAPS Youth Programs. She’s been a volunteer for five years, and came on staff as a programs coordinator. She first learned about TAPS in 2007, and learned how incredible the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors is for bereaved military members and their families. She started volunteering and found a path of healing after her son died in the military. It took six months after his death before she started actively looking for grief support. Both of Wright’s children have died, and this has […]

Celebration of Sisters: Full Circle After 30 Years

Posted on February 13, 2016 - by Judy Lipson

Celebration of Sisters, an annual ice skating fundraiser to honor and commemorate the lives and memories of my sisters Jane E. Lipson and Marjorie E. Lipson to benefit The John D. Stoeckle Center for Primary Care Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital. Ice skating is my passion, solace, peace, and where I have come full circle in my grief to remember and pay tribute to my sisters. I lost my beloved sister Jane at age 22 in an automobile accident in 1981, and my beloved sister Margie at age 35 in 1990 after a 20-year battle with anorexia and bulimia. My […]

Michelle Post: Tissue Donation

Posted on February 12, 2016 - by Gloria Horsley

During the National Alliance for Grieving Children Conference, Dr. Gloria Horsley talks with Michelle Post of One Legacy. Michelle manages families who have donated tissue via their family members who have died. There’s a lot of angst around this. The human body deteriorates quickly after death, and it’s uncomfortable to be the one making this decision for a deceased family member. Donation isn’t for everyone, but most people think that if their loved one can help someone and continue a legacy in the life of someone else, the loved one would want to do that. Many people make their intentions […]

Grief Assessment: How am I Doing?

Posted on February 11, 2016 - by Harriet Hodgson

My elder daughter died in 2007 from the injuries she received in a car crash. Oddly, she died on the 23rd day of the month, the same day she was born. Each year, as I approach the anniversary of her death, I pause and take some time to assess my grief journey. This year is no different. In a few days I start the ninth year without my daughter. How am I doing? All in all, I think I’m doing surprisingly well. Like you, I didn’t choose this journey, but I’m here, and trying to make the most of my […]

Janet McCord: Marian University’s Thanatology Graduate Program

Posted on February 11, 2016 - by Gloria Horsley

While at the National Alliance for Grieving Children conference, Dr. Gloria Horsley connects with Janet McCord of Marian University. The Thanatology Graduate Program focuses on death and dying. Located in Wisconsin, it’s a fully online program that offers people the opportunity to complete it remotely. You’re required to have a bachelor’s degree and a strong interest in the grief and bereavement field. Sometimes those with a loss are discouraged to do anything with it. You’re supposed to get over it, move on, and get some closure. However, many in the graduate program have had a major loss—some very traumatic. They […]

Waiting For the Other Shoe to Drop: Joe Biden’s Burden

Posted on February 2, 2016 - by Kelly Kittel

(In Memory of Beau Biden, 2/3/1969 – 5/30/2015) Joe Biden may seem like a man on top of the world. Maybe even you, yourself, have looked at him with envy. He’s the Vice President of our nation, after all. He’s second in command. He gets to drink beer with the Commander in Chief. He has a loving wife, a good-looking family, a wonderful smile, and a full head of hair. He is privy to national secrets most of us will never know. Or maybe you’ve never thought too much about him. But if you have, you probably think he’s achieved […]

Stimulating Your Senses to Promote Healing

Posted on February 2, 2016 - by Bunny Bennett

There are times during our grief that we must make a conscious choice to embrace the day. Despite our pain, we are glad to be alive. When we grieve, we often feel numb or frozen, so how can we remind ourselves that we are alive? One way to feel alive is by enjoying our five senses. Here are some suggestions to stimulate your senses when you need a break from the pain or feel desensitized. Sense of smell Visit a candle store and sniff the fragrance of every single one. Try closing your eyes and guessing what type it is. […]

Cindy Kort: Writing to Heal

Posted on January 28, 2016 - by Gloria Horsley

During the National Alliance for Grieving Children conference, Dr. Gloria Horsley interviews Cindy Kort, who recently lost her mother and discovered that writing was one of her best ways to heal. Ellen Kort was a famous poet laureate for Wisconsin who worked closely in the grief and loss field. Cindy also lost her brother years ago, and Ellen commemorated him by writing about him often. She left a fantastic legacy, and something Cindy will treasure forever. Some of the topics the Korts discuss in their writing include how much support is necessary for the bereaved. Telling your story is also […]