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:

Afghanistan to the U.S.: A Military Mom Coping with COVID-19

Which would be more anxiety producing: having a son driving a Humvee for the army in Afghanistan or testing positive for the coronavirus? On today’s Facebook Live discussion, my daughter, Dr. Heidi Horsey, and I discuss her thoughts on her son’s deployment and her recent struggle with COVID-19. The Similarities Although Heidi seems more differences between being a military parent and struggling with COVID-19, but there is a similar sense of anxiety and fear as well as the need for peer support. The support may be different in terms of physical contact and connection with other military parents while COVID-19 […]

What’s the Difference When Grieving For a Child?

The loss of any loved one is a terrible blow that hurts our hearts and leaves us inconsolable. However, when a parent loses a child, it’s a different type of grief that can be one of the toughest to overcome. I personally believe that you never “overcome”grieving for a child. But, that the sting can become less and you can learn to tolerate the pain somewhat better as time – like many years – goes by. Grieving For a Child The baring of this pain also depends on the cause. A child dying in unbearable pain is different than a […]

Caregivers Dealing with the Coronavirus

During yesterday’s Facebook Live discussion, Heidi and I were joined by Dr. Ken Druck, a psychologist and best-selling author who has helped so many families and individuals during traumatic events like 9/11, Sandy Hook, and Columbine. He also lost his daughter, so he understands the scope of grief and grieving. Our discussion focused on how caregivers can deal with the Coronavirus as well as how all of us deal with what the situation has done in terms of creating a “living loss.” Caregivers and the Coronavirus For caregivers like Heidi who is a therapist, wife, and mother — and now […]

How to Recognize Your Coping Style When Dealing with Loss or Change

If you are struggling with an addiction (of any variety), it may well be that you have not yet fully developed the coping strategies that provide a way to handle various stressful situations. Certainly everyone handles loss and stress differently. And, this way of doing things is known as a coping style. Developing a Coping Style If you are falling apart and screaming because you can’t find your keys in the morning, chances are that you have not been employing effective coping strategies in your life to keep you and your life balanced. Then, when (not if) a true life […]

Grieving the World We’ve Lost

Today’s Facebook Live discussion focused on the idea that grief doesn’t just come from the loss of a loved one. The recent events surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19) have led us all to actually grieve the loss of the world. Nothing is the same since this pandemic took over the globe. And, it’s forever changed how we see ourselves and maybe how we greet each other and interact. Joining us on the show today to discuss grief and the Coronavirus is David Kessler, bereaved dad and renowned grief expert. He is the co-author, with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, of “On Grief and Grieving: Finding […]

Coronavirus and Finding Ways to Cope with Anxiety and Loss

Today, I hosted a Facebook Live session with my daughter, Heidi, to discuss the impact of the coronavirus. Tambre Leighn, an Open To Hope author, certified coach, Funder of Well Beyond Ordinary, and behavioral change expert, also joined us. Contracting the Coronavirus Our session started with the news that my daughter, Heidi, took a coronavirus test this weekend and learned last night that she has tested positive. After starting to develop symptoms last week, she took action and got tested. Now, she is self-quarantining for the next 14 days, using protective gear and self-isolation to protect her husband and children. […]

Cries for Help: 10 Signs of Addiction

While we all lead busy lives, it’s important to pay attention to what’s going on around us. This is critical whether it is our own family members, friends, colleagues or employees. That’s because we might see the signs of addiction that someone may need our help but are too afraid to ask or admit that they are suffering with an addiction. Often a person doesn’t ask for help because they can already see your indifference to them. They may already know you can’t or don’t want to see them. Too often when drunk driving accidents occur or an overdose happens, […]

Stay Connected, Strong, and Creative

Heidi and I recently had an online get-together through Facebook Live with our friend, Alan Pedersen. During our discussion, we talked about coping strategies for these uncertain times due to fear over the health and financial impact from the Coronavirus (COVID-19). It’s normal to experience anxiety and stress right now. Even more so, those that have lost loved ones to illnesses can experience triggers from the current health concerns. What We Can Do While we can’t make things go back to the way they were, we have control over what we can do now, including adhering to all the current […]

Does Unresolved Grief Cause Divorce?

A recent Facebook Live discussion focused on the issue of whether unresolved grief can become a point of division in a relationship and become so problematic that it leads to divorce. However, beyond just impacting those in the direct relationship, the aftermath can also involve other family members. Heidi and I received a question from Julia that led us to choose this topic for discussion. She shared with us that her parents were getting divorced after 40 years of marriage because neither of them had been happy since they lost their daughter — Julia’s sister — 15 years prior. The […]

Coronavirus Versus 9/11 Fear is Real

. In today’s Facebook Live discussion, Heidi and I talked about the similarities in feeling between the current Coronavirus epidemic and 9/11 in 2001. In both situations, there is fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and concern over death and dying. Although 9/11 was more sudden than the Coronavirus epidemic has been building over time. Both have released triggers in many people related to past losses. For example, a child who lost a parent may now fear that the Coronavirus may take their other parent away. Even those that suffered during 9/11 are starting to feel anxiety and dread return. This is especially […]

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.