Bunny Bennett

As a social worker, Bunny knows full well that the world is filled with oppression, social problems, sorrow, and loss. Like so many other women, Bunny enjoys turning the world off for a little while by getting lost in an uplifting story. Her writings gratify the female soul's craving for some good old-fashioned romance and messages of hope. Serving in the field of grief and bereavement, Bunny Bennett is amazed by the wisdom and insight children possess. It is her hope that Grow Like A Sunflower will uplift and encourage children as they process their grief and loss. In addition to novels, Bunny also writes songs and is a true music lover. When she is not reading or writing, she travels with her husband's band and is his biggest fan. Bunny is blessed with three daughters and three step-sons and is a school social worker at an elementary school in Greenville, South Carolina.

Articles:

Grief Journaling for Valentine’s Day

Grief Journaling for Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day, like every holiday while grieving, is a difficult time to get through, especially after the loss of our “Valentine” or spouse. All of the aisles at the stores overflow with heart balloons, chocolates, flowers and cards celebrating love, and it compounds our feelings of loss and loneliness. However, if we keep in mind that we can still celebrate, it can help us through this time. Here are some journaling exercises that can be helpful in healing from any kind of loss because they remind us to be grateful for love and to celebrate […]

Embracing the Highs and Lows

In facilitating small groups with sometimes noncommunicative teens, my wise colleague suggested beginning the session by asking each participant to share a high and a low. A high could include something going well, an accomplishment, an anticipated upcoming event, or anything positive, while a low could be something worrisome, circumstances that didn’t work out as planned, a disappointment, a traumatic event, etc. This activity works every single time like magic to get teens to open up! Sometimes, just discussing highs and lows could take a whole session and the participants always verbalized feeling better, supported, and connected, even when no […]

Still, but Not Stagnant

Grief often makes us slow down. We simply don’t have energy, and we must allow our bodies and souls to rest more. Yet, this does not have to mean that our being still signifies an absence of growth. As we practice self-compassion and give ourselves permission to have periods of rest and stillness, we can use those quiet moments for good. Perhaps, we can use our imagination! Do you know that child development specialists are expressing concern for our youth today? They contend that because children grow up with so much pressure on them, such as to perform academically, athletically, […]

‘Light Points’: Recognizing and Sharing Your Miracle Moments

Light points are those times when something or someone “lights” our path in life. We often experience these points when we are in a dark place and desperately need to be lifted up. It is when we realize that there are occurrences that may not be fully understood that are meant solely for our good. It is when we are reminded that there is a Creator who wishes to let us know that we are very loved and treasured. It could be those moments when a loved one expresses his or her love exactly how and when we need it […]

Helpful vs. Harmful Thoughts

In our culture, we tend to be overly self-critical. Sometimes we are so preoccupied, we aren’t even aware of how harmful our thoughts can be to our well-being. We are hard on ourselves when it comes to our weight and appearance, whether we are achieving enough in our workplaces and in our homes, and whether our children are in enough extracurricular activities, and the list goes on! Oftentimes, we feel guilty. Guilty that we didn’t make it to the gym enough, guilty our work obligations got in the way of making it to all of our children’s activities, guilty we […]

Stimulating Your Senses to Promote Healing

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. […]

Practicing the Arts of Tenderness and Gratitude

The holiday season is upon us, and I appreciate having a time when we are reminded to give thanks for the blessings and friendships we enjoy. Because of the demands of life, stress, and grief, we may often let days go by without stopping to say two simple words to those people who help us, who have changed our lives, who sacrificed for us, and bless us with friendship. Just two uncomplicated words: thank you! How uplifting it can be to give and receive those two words! Such an easy way to demonstrate tenderness and gratitude to one another. One […]

Open to Hope is an online community offering inspirational stories of loss, hope and recovery. We believe hope is the bridge between loss and recovery.