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Bereaved Aunt Asks, ‘Where Do I Fit In?’

Posted on February 27, 2025 - by Marty Tousley

Question from a Reader: Two months ago, my 21-year-old nephew, my sister’s only child, was killed in a car accident.  I was 19 when he was born.  I have feelings of love for him almost as if he were my own son.  But I can’t find others like me.  I have searched a few online forums, and it seems there isn’t a specific place for me to go.  Where do I fit in?  Also, I feel so guilty — something similar to “survivor’s guilt.”  I wonder how my sister can stand to look at me, at my 20-year-old daughter, at […]

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Dying in Prison: The Need for Hospice

Posted on February 26, 2025 - by Symon Braun Freck

Dying in Prison Today there are 1.9 million people incarcerated in the United States, with 1 out of 6 prisoners serving a life sentence (Sawyer and Wagner). While the sheer number of prisoners is concerning, so are the unethical practices, lack of resources, and dearth of rehabilitation opportunities endemic to the prison system. Substantial research supports the positive impact of rehabilitation programs for those with addiction and mental illness on the mitigation of mass incarceration. Nonetheless, most programs neglect one inevitable reality. What happens to those who are terminally ill and dying in prison? There is very little research on […]

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Widow Wonders Whether New Partner is Stuck in Grief

Posted on February 26, 2025 - by Marty Tousley

Is My New Partner Stuck in Grief? Question from reader: I am currently dating a widower who feels the need to publish a picture of his ex-wife in the local newspaper twice a year, on her birthday and date of death.  He has been doing this for five years.  We have been dating for four-and-a half-years.  My husband died suddenly of a heart attack just a month after my companion’s wife died following a two-year battle with colon cancer.  At this point, I’m not sure how I am tolerating these very public displays of grief. Would you be willing to […]

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Connecting with Departed Loved Ones

Posted on February 25, 2025 - by Gloria Horsley

In a compelling discussion on the Open to Hope podcast, hosts Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley welcomed Julie Ryan, a psychic medium and medical intuitive, to explore the fascinating world of spirit communication and the transition between life and death. Ryan, who combines her background as a surgical device inventor with her spiritual abilities, shared insights into how people can connect with departed loved ones and understand the process of transitioning to the afterlife. From Business to Spiritual Practice Ryan’s journey into the spiritual realm began thirty years ago when she discovered Carolyn Mace’s book “Anatomy of the […]

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Create a New Vision after Loss

Posted on February 24, 2025 - by Nalda Seidman

Create a New Vision after Loss It’s early in the new year, and social media is flooded with posts about resolutions and plans for self-improvement. However, for those who have faced a significant loss, the new year often brings a heavy reminder of loved ones who are no longer with us. It can feel as though the future holds little promise for those who are grieving. It’s important to create a new vision after loss. After losing my son, Josh, when he was 20 years old, I struggled to find joy in a new year, or really about anything in […]

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fathers journey through fentanyl

Journey Through Fentanyl Loss

Posted on February 18, 2025 - by Gloria Horsley

Journey Through Fentanyl Loss The devastating impact of fentanyl poisoning has touched countless families across America, leaving behind grieving parents searching for understanding and hope. Mark Banarczyk’s story of losing his 17-year-old son Thomas to fentanyl poisoning offers a powerful perspective on grief, forgiveness, and finding purpose after tragedy. Thomas Banarczyk was an Eagle Scout and Christian who died after taking what he believed was Xanax purchased through Snapchat. The pill contained a lethal dose of fentanyl instead. His death in May 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights a critical distinction in how these deaths should be viewed – not […]

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Cemeteries as Cultural Landmarks

Posted on February 17, 2025 - by Symon Braun Freck

Cemeteries as Cultural Landmarks Situated on the grounds of Paramount Pictures Studios, Hollywood Forever Cemetery has served as a cultural landmark in the Los Angeles area since it was taken over and revamped by actor Tyler Cassidy in 1998. With the fires recently scorching the Los Angeles area, I felt compelled to share research I conducted on Hollywood Forever Cemetery a few years back. While homes and lives have been burned to the ground, community has strengthened, proving love is more powerful than destruction. This ongoing grieving period is crucial for the Los Angeles community, and I hope my research […]

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Death Positivity vs. Fear of Death

Posted on February 17, 2025 - by Symon Braun Freck

Death Positivity vs. Fear of Death ‘They’re in a better place.’ ‘It was their time to go.’ ‘Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.’ These statements are fillers that Americans are taught from a young age to avoid discussing death. Although every person will inevitably experience death, at a minimum their own death, the American norm of death avoidance is perpetuated in our communities without much thought to the impact it has on those grieving. These simple, relatively superficial one-liners are embedded into our conversational vocabulary with the intention of helping the bereaved, but all of […]

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Music and Grief After Losing a Child

Posted on February 17, 2025 - by Gloria Horsley

In a deeply moving conversation on the Open to Hope podcast, musician and author Nate McClendon shares his transformative journey through grief following the tragic loss of his 18-year-old daughter Naomi, who died in an accidental fall from a ten-story building in February 2014. McClendon, currently serving as the community engagement specialist at Kansas State University’s Beach Museum of Art, brings a unique perspective to grief and healing through his background as a musician who has worked with prestigious organizations including the Grammy Foundation and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Evolution of Love and Understanding Ten years […]

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Valentine’s Day Rituals to Awaken Memories

Posted on February 7, 2025 - by Nan Zastrow

Valentine’s Day Rituals to Awaken Memories Ponder the Vows you made to each other. Every “love” adventure steps into the great unknown . Your vows challenge you to work through life together. Celebrate the adversity you overcame as you weathered the storms of life. Be grateful for the milestones you accomplished together. As a Valentine’s Day ritual, acknowledge your journey—the trials and the triumphs! Make a List of your Happiest Times Together. Review it every time sadness overwhelms you and threatens you into despair. Use the list to ignite the flame of love and connection. It’s a promise that heals […]

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