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Empowering Bereaved Families

Posted on October 3, 2015 - by Alan Pedersen

Stacey Redmond joins the Open to Hope show to share her story about losing her son, Tim. He was killed during a stabbing at the Giants ballpark in San Francisco. Dr. Gloria Horsley and Alan Pedersen from The Compassionate Friends also welcome Lew Cox to the show, an advocate from Tacoma, Washington, who lost his daughter, Carmen and is now an expert in victim advocacy. Redmond was quickly engulfed in the stigma of losing a loved one to murder—a situation that makes many people uncomfortable, and ultimately results in the shunning of those who are grieving. Redmond’s son was killed […]

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Mary Rockefeller Morgan: Grieving the Loss of a Twin

Posted on October 2, 2015 - by Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley

Losing a twin is a very unique grief, and one that Mary Rockefeller famously experienced in the 1960s. The disappearance of her brother at sea, with his body never being recovered, was one that made media headlines for weeks. On this episode, Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley interview Mary Morgan, a licensed psychotherapist who specializes in twin loss and sibling loss. Most recently, she’s focused on twins who lost a sibling in the 9/11 World Trade Center tragedy. Dr. Gloria Horsley lived in New York City in the 60s, and at the time Dr. Morgan (then Rockefeller) had a family […]

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Traumatic Loss: Dr Dale Larson

Posted on October 2, 2015 - by Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley

Dr. Dale Larson joins Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley to talk about the shocking loss of a child, particularly in an environment that’s supposed to be “safe” such as school or during an extracurricular activity. He specializes in traumatic loss and teaches at Santa Clara University. He was particularly in the headlines after the Newtown tragedy, and says that many bereaved people can just tell when someone will listen. Dr. Gloria Horsley has experienced that, having worked as a therapist for several years and having many people approach her simply because they want to share. Comments can seem like “uncaring […]

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The Day I Lost My Oxygen…and How I Got It Back

Posted on October 1, 2015 - by Kim Niles

“I’m sorry, but there was nothing we could do…she’s gone,” the doctor stated in a professional tone of voice on that life-changing Thanksgiving morning. I felt as though my stomach and heart had been knocked out of me, then after the initial shock, as though I couldn’t breathe at all. It felt as though grief and life had knocked my breath out of me and took all of my oxygen away. I was only 19 when my 22 year-old sister, Melody, died on Thanksgiving Day, but I wasn’t new to grief. I had already experienced the devastating deaths of my […]

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Stillbirth: Coping With and Supporting Those Whose Babies Have Died

Posted on September 30, 2015 - by Gloria Horsley

Last month I wrote a blog for the Huffington Post discussing what to do with personal items and pictures after a loss. In response to this a reader commented that she had a stillbirth and wished she had kept more of the items she had prepared for her baby. I was moved by her comments and prior to booking our next Open to Hope cable television show I reviewed the articles and radio shows we have posted on stillbirth, but noted that we lacked a television show on the topic. In order to find a guest with expertise on this […]

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Remembering Izzy

Posted on September 30, 2015 - by Sue Trace Lawrence

It was a baby rat. Recently, after years of contemplating the possibility, I obtained two adult rats as pets. They were potentially to be used as live examples in the psychology classes I taught, and in a fun way—treats all around! A day after I received the rats, the previous owner informed me that one of the 5-month-old females “might” be pregnant. Two weeks later, that possibility became a reality. Ten baby rats emerged, and all were seemingly healthy and active. They were cute, to say the least. As they grew, it became obvious that one in the litter was […]

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Grief Relief Television: Healthy Eating Through Stressful Times

Posted on September 29, 2015 - by Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley

Taking care of your body during stressful periods is important. Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley welcome Katie Morford to the Open to Hope show, who’s a dietician and author of Mom’s Kitchen Handbook. Her latest book is Best Lunch Box Ever, and Morford notes that it’s critical for caregivers to take care of themselves, too. She shares three simple and wholesome recipes with the hosts, starting with her curried quinoa salad. Very nourishing and high in protein, Morford says you can sub in any grain you’d like. Open a tangerine, piece it apart, and add to the grains. “This is […]

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Spousal Loss: Spiritual and Physical Aspects of Loss

Posted on September 29, 2015 - by Lyn Prashant

In this episode of The Grief Relief show, Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley talk with Reverend Robert Gieselmann as well as physical therapist Lyn Prashant about the physical symptoms of grief. Reverend Gieselmann has worked with numerous people who were surprised by the physical manifestation of grief after losing someone close to them. Prashant has taught yoga teachers as well as numerous non-yogis about the importance of physical and spiritual self-care when you lose someone. Many times, self-care goes out the window when you’re grieving, which can lead to a downward spiral for several years. One of the things people […]

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Erika Barber: Navigating Life Stages Post Sibling Death

Posted on September 29, 2015 - by Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley

Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley talk with Erika Barber about her experience with losing a sibling. Barber enjoyed life with her sister for 15 years, but after her sister committed suicide, Barber found herself lost. It’s been a lifelong exploration to define who she is without her sister’s physical presence. She wrote Letters from a Friend: A Sibling’s Guide for Coping and Grief to help others in similar situations, but also to help herself work through the unique challenges of suddenly being without a sibling. Barber’s sister was five years older than her and served in the role of “big […]

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Sorting the Belongings of a Loved One Who Has Died

Posted on September 28, 2015 - by Anne Jennings

Before you begin sorting, remember that your life has been turned upside down, so it is important to give yourself time to grieve first. Going through your loved one’s belongings is emotionally demanding. After the loss of a loved one and while you are grieving, you may need to have around you the belongings, smell and clothes of the person. Everyday tasks can remind you they are gone. The focus when sorting belongings is on only keeping the items that recall happy events, and getting rid of items that remind you of unhappy events. Some people go to bereavement therapy but if they return […]

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