Open to Hope Articles
Do you want to read stories of others who have been where you are? Are you looking for bereavement help, and advice? Look no further. We offer over 3,000 articles written by our Open to Hope authors.
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Terry Jones-Brady; Finding Love and Happiness After Profound Loss
November 22, 2012
Terry Jones-Brady is a strong and deeply spiritual person. Both of Terry’s daughters were born with cystic fibrosis. Terry began an unfathomable journey and survived not two but three deaths. After the deaths of her daughters, her husband died by suicide. She grieved, searched for understanding, and finally, found love and happiness again. She is the author of Mosaic Heart: Reshaping the Shards of a Shattered life. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2012/10/Terry-Jones.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Does the Stigma of Mental Illness Still Exist?
November 11, 2012
A few months ago, my cousin came to our house to review and discuss the family history my husband had been writing. After reviewing the material, he made one request – leave out the part about his father’s bipolar disorder. In fact he didn’t want to see any discussion of any of the mental illness that permeates my side of our family. That was proof enough for me that the stigma of mental illness still exists. Although my husband did not mention our family’s mental illness in the history, I openly discussed my grandmother’s, uncle’s, and mother’s mental illness in […]
Holiday Gifts: The Gift of the Fire
November 7, 2012
After my son Scott and his cousin Matthew were burned to death in an automobile accident, I found the holidays to be extremely difficult. Anticipation of upcoming celebrations were often more difficult than the actual day. During those early years, holidays that used to be a time of joy and celebration filled me with regrets and memories of what I had lost. That first Thanksgiving and Christmas, I wanted to just hunker down in my bed and pull the covers over my head. However, I had family obligations, a husband and three daughters. Ignoring the days was not an option, […]
Dr Stephen Fleming-Parenting After the Death of a Child
October 29, 2012
Dr Stephen Fleming talks about parenting after the death of a child. Although a child had died there are still other children surviving to parent, what does that look like? Association of Death Education and Counseling
The Halloween Graveyard
October 28, 2012
The other day, while mindlessly driving down a narrow, fall-colored, leaf-filled neighborhood street, I noticed that Halloween decorations were beginning to appear. Pumpkins. Ghosts. Witches. And then the graveyard. I slowed down to take it all in. The Halloween graveyard. This particular family had elaborately constructed a very real-looking cemetery complete with a spider-webbed decorated iron fence, an ominous looking entry gate and more tombstones than I cared to count. I smiled a little and shook my head. Innocent and ignorant I’ve come to call them. Twenty years ago my response was different. Twenty years ago, my wife and I […]
Mark Ireland Recaptured Joy After Loss of Son
October 15, 2012
Mark Ireland learned how to embrace joy again after suffering the loss of a child. He shared, “My biggest life challenge has been the death of my youngest son, Brandon, in January, 2004. I think it’s fair to say I have overcome the challenge of that painful event, seeing that I lead a fulfilling life and have recaptured joy—something that initially seemed impossible. I still miss Brandon’s physical presence, and occasionally shed tears at unexpected times, yet I’m usually able to keep my focus on happy memories.” Mark continued, “In terms of my spirituality, I’d say this affected me in […]
Giving Meaning to the Short Life of a Granddaughter
October 14, 2012
The day that changed the lives of my family started with my four-year-old granddaughter, Brittany, sneaking in the front door with two little pink roses hiding behind her back. When a precious little hand reaches towards you holding something so dear, the warmth and tenderness you feel have no words. Little did we know what effect a pink rose would have on the rest of our lives. The next morning was supposed to be the first day at her new school, but things changed over night. By morning, she was burning up with fever. From the doctor’s office, she was […]
Home Sickness After a Loved One’s Death
October 7, 2012
All of us who have lost a child can agree that when you lose a child, everything in your life is impacted in some way. After the death of my son Noah, and once I surrendered to the fight of emotional avoidance, I became someone who didn’t like to leave the house and became somewhat antisocial for the first time in my life. I felt a lot of comfort hanging out at home with my wife Christine. When she would leave the house and I was left by myself, I would get this uneasy feeling. Just being with Christine kept […]
Dr. Darcie D. Sims; Choice Points in our Grief
October 4, 2012
Dr. Darcie D. Sims, Ph.D. is a bereaved parent and child, a grief management specialist, nationally certified thanatologist, pastoral bereavement specialist, psychotherapist and hypnotherapist. Darcie is president and co-founder of GRIEF, Inc. a grief consulting business and the Director of the American Grief Academy. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2012/09/Darcie-Sims_01.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
