Gloria Horsley

Dr. Gloria Horsley is an internationally known grief expert, psychotherapist, and bereaved parent. She started "Open to Hope" to help the millions in the world with grief. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Nurse Specialist, and has worked in the field of family therapy for over 20 years. Dr. Horsley hosts the syndicated internet radio show, The Grief Blog which is one of the top ranked shows on Health Voice America. She serves the Compassionate Friends in a number of roles including as a Board of Directors, chapter leader, workshop facilitator, and frequently serves as media spokesperson. Dr. Horsley is often called on to present seminars throughout the country. She has made appearances on numerous television and radio programs including "The Today Show," "Montel Williams," and "Sallie Jessie Raphael." In addition, she has authored a number of articles and written several books including Teen Grief Relief with Dr. Heidi Horlsey, and The In-Law Survival Guide.

Articles:

Jamie Yetter: Families and Organ Donation

The family services coordinator with the Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency (ARORA), Jamie Yetter, sat down with Dr. Gloria Horsley to discuss organ donation. Families and organ donation is a tricky subject. As a chaplain, Yetter gets referrals from hospitals about someone who potentially is an organ donor. Yetter goes on-site to see if the patient really is a potential donor. She then works with the physician and medical team to find out the plan of action. Most importantly, when appropriate, she begins to support and accompany the family through end of life care and organ donation. Her role was […]

Susan Rice: Helping Others After Loss

Dr. Gloria Horsley talks with Susan Rice, fellow RN, at the National Alliance for Grieving Children conference. Rice works at a center that serves people facing a loss, the Douglas Center for Hope and Healing in Nevada. Rice also works with her daughter, Jodi Wass, similar to Dr. Horlsey. She lost her son, Joshua, three years ago when he was only 37. When grief hits home, it’s entirely different than working with it on a professional level. It can lead to career burnout and plenty of surprises. Stopping and taking a deep breath is key. There are stages of grief […]

Kathleen Gilbert and Gloria Horsley: How Family Members Grieve Differently

Dr. Gloria Horsley of the Open to Hope Foundation interviews Kathleen Gilbert, an associate professor at Indiana University. How do different family members grieve? According to Gilbert, there’s differential grieving. After a loss, people think their grief doesn’t match their loss. Who you are going into the grief is different than who you are now. There are many contributions, such as developmental stages. Just because a child looks like they should know what’s going on doesn’t mean they do. Children may need to be told time and time again what happened—which is aggravating for a grieving parent. Another example are […]

Webinar: How to Manage the Easter Holiday

Holidays can be a challenging time for those who have lost a loved one, and with Easter right around the corner, Dr. Gloria Horsley with the Open to Hope Foundation and Alan Pederson with Compassionate Friends have released a special webinar on handling this particular event. This webinar will also feature guest Kay Warren, founder of the Saddleback Church and an expert in grief and loss. Warren is a bible teacher, bestselling author, and a tireless advocate for those living with mental illnesses and/or HIV/AIDS, as well as vulnerable children. Warren is a mother to three children, one of whom, […]

Jill Cliffer Beratta: Healing Through Art

A teacher of enrichment art, Jill Cliffer Baratta has an MFA and talked with Dr. Gloria Horsley about how art can help in the healing process. Baratta lost her father, and immediately turned to her love of the arts to guide her own healing process. Her father died 45 years ago, right before her twelfth birthday. Even then, Baratta knew that art was her own best healing tool. It inspired her to keep up with her work, and it kick-started her brain to keep creating. As an adult, Baratta was committed to taking photographs of her loved ones, especially with […]

Sharon Taylor: Father Loss

A professor of psychology and the chair of the Women’s Studies department at St. Martin University, Dr. Sharon Taylor, talks with Dr. Gloria Horsley about father loss. Dr. Taylor’s father died at war when she was just a few months old. This was in 1945, right at the end of the war, and during this time nobody dealt with the issue of war. As a result, Dr. Taylor was raised by a grieving mother who never had a chance to mourn. She tried to move on, and everyone in the family was sad about Taylor’s father. His body was never […]

Carl McDonald: Loss of a Child in a DUI Collision

A webinar from The Compassionate Friends, featuring Carl McDonald with the National Law Enforcement Initiatives, focuses on losing a child from an impaired driving incident. The host, Dr. Gloria Horsley, knows exactly what it means to lose a child in a car crash—she lost her son, Scott, when he was only 17 years old. McDonald was a patrol officer in Wyoming when his daughter was killed in a DUI incident. The offender was his ex-wife. The two had divorced because of her drinking, and McDonald was worried about his daughter growing up in that environment. He was awarded full custody, […]

Michelle Post: Tissue Donation

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 […]

Janet McCord: Marian University’s Thanatology Graduate Program

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 […]

Cindy Kort: Writing to Heal

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 […]

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.