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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Even the Smallest Life Matters
November 11, 2024
Even the Smallest Life Matters The life of your child matters. Your experience of holding them whether in your womb or in your arms matters. All life matters. No matter how fleeting or small—whether it was that magical moment of conception where you felt that swell of hope for new life, or that moment when you sensed the fluttering of butterfly wings in your belly as the song of a new heartbeat joined in the song of creation, or you birthed into this world the perfectly formed vessel that housed a precious spirit, that life mattered. That soul has a […]
Top 10 Podcasts for Grief, Loss and Healing
November 11, 2024
Grief is a deeply personal journey, and while everyone’s experience is different, listening to others share their stories and insights can be incredibly comforting and healing. Podcasts about grief offer a range of perspectives, from experts in mental health and mindfulness to everyday people sharing their personal stories. Here’s a list of top grief podcasts that provide valuable support, empathy, and understanding for those navigating loss. 1. Open to Hope Podcast The Open to Hope Podcast, hosted by Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley, is a powerful resource for individuals dealing with loss. Drawing from personal experiences and professional […]
Surviving the Holidays After the Death of a Child
November 8, 2024
Surviving the Holidays After the Death of a Child That holiday-pang hit my stomach the first October after Daniel died. Greeting me at an arts and craft shop were gold and silver stockings, a Christmas tree draped with turquoise balls and a wreath of pinecones and red berries. What was this? And was “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” playing as well? It was only October. I had anticipated that Christmas and the holidays would be tough. In fact, I’d wake on those cold mornings after Daniel died in February and be grateful that it was still months until his […]
Navigating Grief: A Journey of Growth and Resilience
November 6, 2024
Grief is a universal human experience, yet society often struggles to address it effectively. In a recent episode of “Epic Begins with 1 Step Forward,” host Xander Sprague and guest Denise DeWalt delve into the complexities of loss and the journey of healing that follows. Their conversation sheds light on the misconceptions surrounding grief and offers valuable insights for those navigating their own path through loss. The Unexpected Journey of Grief Denise DeWalt’s journey began in 2009 when she suddenly lost her husband to a blood clot. This life-altering event propelled her into a new role: helping others navigate their […]
Alone with the Memories: When Your Only Sibling Dies
November 5, 2024
Halloween When I was 9 and my sister was 12, we made the bold decision to craft The Haunted House of All Ages in our 250-square-foot living room and the 10-x-3.5-foot hallway that ran down the center of our second floor flat. It would be just for our own enjoyment: for us to build, experience and deconstruct in the sweet solace of flat and of our sisterhood. And we were democratic about the whole affair: She would adorn the front room with all manner of Halloween horror for me to walk through, and I the hallway for her. So we […]
Tools to Ease ‘Catastrophizing’
November 4, 2024
Tools to Ease ‘Catastrophizing’ My husband and I are Digital Nomads who work remotely and travel, and for the most part, it is fun and interesting. In early grief, however, after I lost my 20-year-old son to suicide, I never thought I’d leave my home, much less travel around the world. Getting out of bed and feeding myself was a major triumph in the months after my loss. Aside from overwhelming grief, I had a sense of dread and foreboding. I was certain I’d lose my husband or another family member next. The world felt unsafe, and my home was […]
I Need to Say Her Name: Surviving the Holidays
November 4, 2024
Surviving the Holidays In 2007 my elder daughter died from the injuries she received in a car crash. Helen loved Christmas and the first one without her was indescribably painful. I thought the second Christmas without Helen would be easier for me. It wasn’t. In fact, my grief seemed worse. While my grief has eased during the passing years, every bereaved parent knows holidays can spark grief again. We go backwards on the recovery/reconciliation path and may come to dread the holidays. We’ve lived another year without a child and there are more years to come. So how can we […]
Getting Through Halloween after Child’s Death
October 30, 2024
Getting Through Halloween after Child’s Death On the evening I type this, the nip in the October air is a reminder that the major holidays are just around the corner. Halloween decorations have been in the stores since July and Christmas décor even as early as August. For those of us who are bereaved parents, siblings and/or grandparents this means the sooner they are “in our face” the longer we have the constant reminders that we will be facing the holidays without our child. Whether it is your first Halloween following your child’s death or years down the road, such […]
A Very Brief History of Crying
October 28, 2024
A Very Brief History of Crying In American pre-Victorian times (1700s-1800s), the expectation was that of moderation. That is, if you cried too much, it signified an excessive focus on the here and now and too little faith in the world beyond. In the Victorian age, people saw death as failure of medicine and loss of ties with family, which prompted many tears. Grief became expressive and often excessive. In the early 1900s, the emergence of World War I brought renewed restraint. Crying was considered a backward-looking emotion. Maintaining a “stiff upper lip” became the expectation in American society. Today, […]
