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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Dreamwork as a Healing Path Through Grief
September 15, 2009
The only way to fully understand what your dreams are telling you is to observe them over time and slowly discover the landscape, the common themes and the inhabitants that populate your dream world.
‘I’ve Never Been a Crier,” But Now….
September 15, 2009
“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief…and unspeakable love.” Washington Irving Here they come again. I have no idea what triggered this waterfall. One moment I was driving to work, thinking of my schedule for the day ahead, and the next thing I knew, the tears were rolling down my cheeks. This is part of the new normal that is me since my precious granddaughter was born still more than five years ago. I’ve never been a […]
Time Moves Differently When Dealing With Grief
September 14, 2009
Four months ago my daughter was killed in a car crash. Her sudden death on a snowy night stunned her 15-year-old twins and sent shock waves through the entire family. Many of us are still in shock. I know I am. One moment, I know my daughter is gone. The next moment, I can’t believe it. Nobody can grieve for me and I am working hard on recovery. But my grief flares when well-meaning friends say, “Last year was a hard one for you.” Last year? It has only been four months since my daughter died. When friends say this […]
When and How to Use Medicine for Grief
September 14, 2009
It was a typical meeting of Compassionate Friends, the organization for parents who have lost a child. We were discussing what helped us cope with the death of our child. Joanna, a quiet lady who seldom spoke, suddenly blurted out, “I take Prozac. I couldn’t have made it without it, and I don’t care what anyone thinks.” After a few seconds of stunned silence, several others confessed to “using drugs.” As a physician, I have been uneasy with what seems to be an almost blanket disapproval of medication by support groups, psychologists and counselors. We are encouraged to cry, scream, […]
When an Employee is Grieving the Death of a Child
September 14, 2009
The Situation Businesses are accustomed to putting a price tag on lost productivity and increased insurance costs associated with conditions from diabetes to those from life problems including substance abuse and depression. For the first time, there is data available on the impact of grief in the workplace. The annual cost of grief from the death of a loved one is more than $37.5 billion. The grief following the death of a child is intense, long-lasting and complex. It is perhaps the most devastating loss a parent may experience and poses unique challenges for you, the employer, who is concerned […]
The ‘Inoculation Effect’ of Major Grief
September 14, 2009
My trusty Shorter Oxford English Dictionary includes this definition of the word “inoculate”: The deliberate introduction into the body of a micro-organism, especially in order to induce immunity to a disease; vaccination. In the fifteen years since my three-year-old son, Michael, died, I’ve found the idea of an “inoculation effect” a useful and even consoling way to think about my loss. I admit the analogy is imperfect, since no one would ever “deliberately” introduce an innocent to agonizing grief, or as I call it in my novel, Saving Elijah, “big time grief,” but I stand by it. So what does […]
Darcie Sims: Grief, Hope and Healing
September 14, 2009
Darcie, author and President of Grief Inc. and Director of Training and Certification for TAPS. Talks about grief and healing. Darcie is a bereaved parent and child. To Learn More About Darcie https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2009/09/Darcie_Sims_091409.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Lesson One Upon My Son Leaving This Earth, Too Soon
September 11, 2009
It is mid-afternoon, one week after my son went to heaven. I lay in bed. I cry. I am angry. I am a lost soul. My tears soak my pillow. I cannot face the world. My future seems to have taken flight to heaven with my little boy. My life doesn’t seem real. This is a bad dream. I am convinced that if I cry hard enough and long enough, God will see my pain. Then I will walk to my son’s room, look in his crib and there he will lay, sleeping peacefully … alive. When I was pregnant, I […]
Claire Perkins: The Healing Power of Grief
September 10, 2009
Through the loss of her son Claire Perkins has gone on to author several books and give others hope. To Learn More About Claire https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2010/10/Claire-Perkins-910091.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
