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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 […]

Sara Daren: Boys and Grief

Posted on January 28, 2016 - by Heidi Horsley

Boys and girls grieve differently, as do men and women. Dr. Heidi Horsley talks with Sara Daren about the unique way boys grieve. Daren is from Experience Camps, and as the founder and executive director she runs one-week camps for boys in Maine and New York. In 2015 a camp for girls began, but she has focused on boys for the past seven years. Boys and girls emote differently. At camp, the boys are often stiff and uncomfortable when they first arrive. Boys like to play before talking and need to get active. Diving right into camp with tug of […]

Jordan Karem: Kate’s Club Helping Teens and Kids with Grief

Posted on January 26, 2016 - by Heidi Horsley

Jordan Karem works with Kate’s Club, an organization that helps kids and teens going through grief. She’s 15 years old, and lost her dad to stage four lung cancer in 2011. She was eleven when her father died, and found herself needing a unique type of support. Living in Atlanta, Georgia, she found Kate’s Club herself after doing an online search. Grief groups, activities, and outings are all available, as well as a summer camp. Here, Karem said she felt normal and could meet other kids who’ve experienced a similar loss. Her other friends weren’t familiar with parental loss and […]

Thom McLeod: Tips for Teens who have Suffered a Loss

Posted on January 25, 2016 - by Heidi Horsley

At the National Alliance for Grieving Children, Dr. Heidi Horsley talks with Thom McLeod, a hospice chaplain in Ft. Lauderdale. He also facilitates a teen bereavement group in Davey, Florida. Working closely with teens puts McLeod in a unique position. He says teens can find hope after loss in many ways. The bereavement process is a normal process (if you’re lucky and live long enough to experience it). You need to find a new normal, and teens are going through so many changes already. They’re readjusting to loss while also moving from being a child to a young adult. He […]

Therese Oettl: Outdoor Grief Programs

Posted on January 24, 2016 - by Heidi Horsley

At the National Alliance for Grieving Children conference, Dr. Heidi Horsley interviews Therese Oettl, who’s studying for a master’s degree in European Outdoor Studies. She studies with a group of 18 people throughout England, Norway, and Germany. The group is looking at how Outward Bound and other outdoor programs help people grieve. There’s a variety of these programs in the US, but few in Germany and Europe. She’s here to discover what’s working, how to initiate the programs, and why they’re important. Dr. Horsley has personal experience with Outward Bound, having gone on the program for a month in Colorado […]

Evan Johnson: Loss of a Parent by Suicide

Posted on January 23, 2016 - by Heidi Horsley

Evan Jonson lost his father in 2010 to suicide. Dr. Heidi Horsley interviews him about his experience Johnson lives in Portland, Oregon and he struggled to find hope afterward. He was in complete disbelief at first, unable to fathom why his father killed himself. It came out of the blue for Johnson, and as that shock wore off he moved out of denial and into reality. That’s when anger arrived, and Johnson was angry at the situation rather than at his father. His dad destroyed his family, and it upset the life that everyone had planned. When Dr. Horsley’s brother […]