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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Welcome to the Dark Side of Grief
August 28, 2022
Welcome to the Dark Side of Grief “If only you knew the power of the Dark Side.” ~ Darth Vader These ominous words portend a foreboding presence. Power and darkness come together to create a daunting force. It is a force I wish I had never known. It is a force that robbed me of my very spirit. It’ss a force that dominated my life for months – and years – that followed my husband’s death. More than three years would pass before I would even begin to feel a desire to live again. Until then, I found the thundering […]
Dr. Barbara J. Hopkinson: Love Heals
August 28, 2022
At the 45th National Conference of The Compassionate Friends in Houston Texas, 2022; bereaved parent and spouse, Dr. Barbara J. Hopkinson, talks about focusing on love and self care after a loss. Remember, love soars through the clouds of hope. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Dr.-Barbara-J.-Hopkinson_-Love-Heals.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Dr. Barbara J Hopkinson: 3 Things to do After a Loss
August 28, 2022
At the 45th National Conference of The Compassionate Friends in Houston Texas, 2022; bereaved parent and spouse, Dr. Barbara J Hopkinson, talks about three things you can do after a loss. Remember, love soars through the clouds of hope. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Dr.-Barbara-J-Hopkinson_-3-Things-to-do-After-a-Loss.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Holly Vingson-Ruiz: We Got This
August 23, 2022
Bereaved parent and wife, Holly Vingson-Ruiz, finding hope after loss at the 45th National Conference of The Compassionate Friends in Houston Texas, 2022. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Holly-Vingson-Ruiz_-We-Got-This.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Dr. Margaret Chisolm: Coping with a Death to Mental Illness
August 4, 2022
Have you lost a beloved loved one to mental illness? On this show psychiatrist Dr. Margaret Chisolm shares with Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heid how she found hope after a battle with depression and the loss of both her brother and her cousin to suicide. She is the author of From Survive to Thrive: Living Your Best Life with Mental Illness. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Margaret-Chisolm_-Coping-with-a-Death-to-Mental-Illness.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Grief Leads to Self-Discovery
July 28, 2022
Life after a Death. I reflect on that sentence, searching for words to describe what I, as a widow, have felt these last five years. The word “mirror” comes up for me. My partner was my mirror, reflecting back to me who I was, as a human being. When I lost that mirror, I had to navigate that reflection on my own. My partner’s symbiotic understanding of how I felt was no longer present. In the future, would another person be in the equation, learning to know me as my beloved did? Someone who would hold up that mirror with deep […]
Deeply Remembering Your Spouse
July 28, 2022
This is an excerpt from The Good Widow: A Memoir of Living with Loss – Kindle edition by Katz, Jennifer. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. My Beloved, It’s just over seven months now since you’ve been gone. At times, I still can’t believe it. It feels incredible that I’ll never again be able to hold your hand or stroke your hair. I ache to touch you again, for you to touch me. I’m starving, ravenous to smell your scent, to breathe your breath. Instead, I stand in front of your open closet and stroke the dress shirts […]
William Peters: Shared Journeys to the Afterlife
July 21, 2022
Are you wondering if there is an afterlife? Join Dr’s Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley with William Peters. He is the founder of the Shared Crossing Project and director of its Research Initiative. William Peters is the author of At Heaven’s Door: What Shared Journeys to the Afterlife Teach About Dying Well and Living Better. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/William-Peters_-Shared-Journeys-to-the-Afterlife.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
After Losing Spouse, Be Aware of Online Deceivers
July 20, 2022
When you first lose your spouse, many feelings consume you. You may feel numb, fearful, hurt, crushed, angry, in disbelief, or broken. Maybe you feel a combination or even all of these. You aren’t thinking as clearly as you normally would. Sometimes you are left feeling vulnerable because you want your life to not be so painful. In doing so, you may let your guard down more than you normally would. It’s sad but also important to realize that not everyone is looking out for your wellbeing. If you decide to go on social media groups or to join other […]
