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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ANTICIPATE THE ANNIVERSARY YEAR(S)
February 9, 2026
It happened in New York, April 10th, nineteen years ago. Even my hand balks at the date. I had to push to write it down, just to keep the pen moving on the paper. It used to be a perfectly ordinary day, but now it sticks up on the calendar like a rusty nail. —Donna Tartt, author of The Goldfinch There is a year nearly every daughter who has lost her mother describes as being very significant. This is the year when she becomes the age of her mother when she died. This was also true for me. When I […]
Lara Krawchuk: When a Parent Dies: Tools and Hope for the Healing Journey
January 29, 2026
If you are grieving and need practical coping strategies, join Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley as they talk with Lara Krawchuk LCSW, clinical director of Healing Concepts, LLC and co-owner of Healing Perspectives. Lara shares how she and her family managed her father’s death and found strength to move forward. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Lara-Krawchuk_-When-a-Parent-Dies-Tools-and-Hope-for-the-Healing-Journey.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Ian Ziskin: Exploring the Transformative Power of Grief
January 1, 2026
Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley welcome guest Ian Ziskin, President of Exec Excel Group LLC, who lost his father early in life, and more recently his mother and brother. He authored Lives Lost and Leadership Found: Lessons from Special Somebodies. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Ian-Ziskin_-Exploring-the-Transformative-Power-of-Grief-1.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Ian McCartor: Carrying Their Memory Forward
December 25, 2025
Looking for a creative way to remember a loved one? Join Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley with guest Ian McCartor, hospice nurse and certified grief counselor, as they discuss creative and counseling approaches to remembering loved ones through The Ash Rose Foundation, a nonprofit supporting grief management. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Ian-McCartor_-Carrying-Their-Memory-Forward.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Episode 262: Growing Up Male: Finding Your Way Without a Father
December 23, 2025
How do men navigate manhood without their dads? Tune in as Dr. Gloria Horsley and her co-host and daughter, Dr. Heidi Horsley speak openly about father loss with their guest Dr. Eric Brewer. Eric is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Transform Church Ministries, and author of From Grief To Growth; A 31 Day Journey Of Healing And Renewal Through Love And Loss. Dr. Brewer founded and leads a national weekly support group for Black widowers. His Doctoral dissertation was on; Healing Hidden Wounds: The Resilience of Black Men and the impact of their spirituality upon their grief recovery.
Episode 256: After the Last Goodbye: Navigating Life After Losing a Parent
December 12, 2025
What does grief look like when the person who raised you is gone? Join host Dr. Heidi Horsley and her guests Zaneta Gileno and Kim Burditt Bartlett as they talk about grieving the death of a parent. When Zaneta Gileno was just 10 yrs. old her Dad died of a heart attack, and in 2023, her Mom died of lung issues. Zaneta has a private practice called Hope Rising Psychotherapy & Wellness. She is an adjunct professor at Columbia University, and currently serves as Senior Mental Health Advisor and Board Member for Repatriate Our Patriots. In addition, she previously worked […]
Finding Strength and Wisdom after the Loss of a Father
November 24, 2025
Losing a father is one of the hardest experiences in life. It’s a loss that reshapes you, leaving an emptiness that never truly fades. The pain is deep, and the absence is felt in the quiet moments—the advice left unsaid, the laughter no longer shared, the steady presence that once grounded you. But in that grief, there is also transformation. The loss teaches us how fleeting life is, reminding us to cherish every moment, to be present, and to live with purpose. It gives us a kind of wisdom that only comes through pain—a deeper understanding of what truly […]
CHANGE: IT’S INEVITABLE
November 4, 2025
When we are children growing up, it usually never enters our mind that anything, or anybody in our lives will ever change. We envision our parents as being with us always. Our grandparents are a delight and we certainly can’t imagine our lives disconnected from them. Without a doubt, in our innocent thinking, we will sail into the beautiful sunset with all of our siblings. What a devastating wake-up call to find out that people die, that our lives forever change when the people we love the most go by way of the grave. When we lost extended and distant […]
Lauren Schneider: Grief Support
October 30, 2025
Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley interview Lauren Schneider, a leading expert in Child & Adolescent Grief who has directed the Children’s Programs at OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center for 23 years. Lauren co-produced the Emmy-winning HBO documentary “One Last Hug…and a few smooches” and its upcoming sequel. She also has a private practice in Los Angeles focused on grief and loss. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Lauren-Schneider_-Grief-Support-6Lw5WkuCMco.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
