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.
SORT BY RELATIONSHIP
Darcy Bellows Mascorro : Sharing Spiritual Gifts and Knowledge
June 25, 2015
After the tragic loss of her beloved husband to be, Vern, Darcy embarked on a side career as paranormal investigator. She is a co-founder of the Lightworker’s Foundation, with three locations in California, whose mission is to explore and share spiritual gifts and knowledge. She is the author of “Finding Vern”. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/OpenToHope_DarceyMascorro.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Sheryl Sandberg Redefines Empathy in Eloquent Reflection on Grief
June 20, 2015
Sheryl Sandberg and Dave Goldberg Sheryl Sandberg’s recent Facebook post (bit.ly/sandbergempathy), written a month after her husband died, is a wise reflection on the rawness of grief — and a testament to the resiliency of those who grieve. Her heart-rending story gives us a hundred gifts, perhaps the greatest of which has not as much to do with the extraordinary things she says as it has to do simply with the fact that she is able to stand before us, plain and real, and share: This is how it is for me. Where she takes her stand, she makes room […]
Episode 46: Widow’s Helping Widows
May 7, 2015
On this show Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley discuss with Dawn Nargi and Roselyn Drake how the loss of their husbands inspired them to help widows through The W Connection. The second guest will be Audrey Pellicano nurse, mother, wife and widow, who will give tips on how one can tap into the power of the mind in order to heal from loss, move beyond the pain and reignite feelings of hope. Audrey hosts Death Café at The Open Center of New York City and is the author of the “Six Secrets to Surviving Widowhood”.
Death of a Husband: Elaine Mansfield
April 30, 2015
Elaine Mansfield leads workshops and bereavement support groups and writes for Hospicare and Palliative Care of Tompkins County in Ithaca, NY Her writing reflects her forty years as a student of Jungian psychology, mythology, meditation, and nature. Since her husband’s death in 2008, her work has focused on a search for love, meaning, and healing in times of grief. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/OpenToHope_ElaineMansfield.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
When Grief Subsides….What’s Beyond?
March 20, 2015
Grief a major part of a widow/widower’s life. Although everyone works through grief in their own way, there are still some similarities. I’d guess the majority of widow/widowers go through various stages of shock, denial, guilt, anger, depression, and hopefully acceptance. But every journey will also be unique. Once we work through our stages of grief and accept our loss, the grief begins to subside. Then we have to decide what we’re going to do with our life. There are endless possibilities of new goals and dreams for our future. Each one of us will have a different story to tell. Some widows remarry within a few […]
A Widow Goes Back to Work
February 5, 2015
When my husband died suddenly in 2000, the thought of walking on this earth 14 years later, much less enjoying a productive and rewarding life, seemed impossible. Never able to have children, John and I spent our 28 years of marriage entwined in each other’s lives. Losing him felt like I had lost myself and in some ways I had. The process of coming back into life was not easy—at times it seemed down right hopeless. Self-doubt and indecision plagued me as I tried to face the challenges alone. Accepting support and encouragement from others helped push me forward. The […]
Military Loss of a Spouse: Kim Ruocco MSW
January 15, 2015
Kim Ruocco MSW, is the Manager for Suicide Outreach and Education Programs at The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors of Military Loss (TAPS). In 2005 her husband Major John Ruocco, U.S. Marine Corps, a decorated Cobra gunship pilot and father of two sons lost his life to suicide. He had returned from a tour in Iraq and ten weeks later was preparing for a second tour when he died. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/OpenToHope_KimRuocco.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Episode 39: Finding Hope After Multiple Deaths
January 14, 2015
On this show Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley interview Jill Kraft Thompson an amazing woman who has re-built her life after losing five people she loved the most. She survived the car crash that killed five members of her family – her husband Bart, her two sons, Ben and Sam, her mom and her niece, Sarah. She is the author of “Finding Jill”. Richard Beck Ph.D. and trauma expert gives his thoughts on trauma recovery. The show will closes with singer songwriter Paul Alexander singing “Light a Candle”.
How I Magically Found the Spirit of the Season
December 21, 2014
I thought this year was going to be different. The Thanksgiving holiday was here, and I showed no signs of the “Holiday Dreads.” That’s what I secretly call my emotional state when the holiday season arrives. You see, I am a 68 year old widow. I’ve been a widow since 2005, so I’m not a stranger to the feelings that the loss of the love of your life brings, especially at times of celebration. Yes, no matter how hard I try year after year, I get them. It usually starts in October when I realize that soon the holiday season […]
