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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Cooking for One on The Open to Hope Show with Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi-Handling the Loss of a Spouse
October 2, 2012
This is an excerpt from our tv show “Open to Hope Handling the Loss of a Spouse”, here we share with you cooking for one. Follow this link to see the whole show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miRBU-KeTmY
The Open to Hope Show with Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi and Special Guest Allen Klein-Handling the Loss of a Spouse
October 2, 2012
Allen Klein, MA, CSP* (aka “Mr. Jollytologist®”) is an award-winning professional keynote speaker and best-selling author who shows audiences worldwide how humor can help them deal with everyday trials and tribulations as well as triumphing over tragedy. Follow this link to see the whole show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miRBU-KeTmY
Three Years into Widowhood, Embracing a Birthday
September 30, 2012
“Hope your birthday is a good chance to see how far you have come, and look ahead to what the next year might be too!” ~Robin In September, I turned 28 years old. My birthday weekend was unlike the previous two. In 2010, my birthday was six months and a week after losing Greg. I really don’t remember that birthday much. I remember having dinner with my mom and a few people who were my friends at the time. I remember being overwhelmed trying to manage everything and be the “hostess” and try to “have it all together,” trying to make […]
What it Feels Like to Come Alive Again
September 24, 2012
September marks two and a half years since we lost Greg. Two and a half years seems like such a long time and yet feels like such a short amount of time as well. I have felt and noticed a change within myself over the last 6 months. Reflecting upon the first two years of this journey of grief, I felt as though I was “asleep,” in shock, trying to process everything that has happened and just trying to survive not only the loss of my fiancé, but all the secondary losses that stem from losing Greg as well. Then […]
It’s OK to be Depressed, Sometimes
September 15, 2012
During the first few years of my widowhood, when I was working through my grief, I’d occasionally have to tackle the monster of “DEPRESSION”. Of course the most obvious times were around holidays, special days of birthdays and anniversaries, and lifetime milestones of dance recitals, proms, and graduations. Then there were the longer episodes of depression when I was tired of doing it all alone. Times when everything seemed dark and I didn’t want to be happy. If the depression was caused by the anticipation of a special “day” or holiday, I could usually pull myself out of my slump […]
A Life Alone: Adjusting to Being a Widower
September 12, 2012
A recent widower recently emailed me the following: Dear Abel, I’ve been going through your blog, and I was wondering what your response would be to learning how to be single, or being a peace with being alone first. You’ve pointed out several times that widowers jump into a relationship to possibly fill in a void, and in that case, perhaps an explanation as to how you dealt with being alone during the first few months would be helpful. I lost my fiancé a month ago, and I am figuring out how to go through this myself. Thanks, Mark (name […]
Hey, Widows: You Can’t Do Everything and Do Everything Well
September 10, 2012
“You can’t do everything and do everything well.” I was sitting at a piano, confiding in my piano teacher as I often did, when she doled out this piece of advice that has stuck with me ever since. At 16-years-old, I didn’t yet have a clue what she was talking about – she was probably making me feel better for mediocre grades on my finals or a lost audition – but those words of wisdom have been with me for years. They were with me when I got married, when I worked and took 21 credit hours my last semester […]
Widow Ages While Husband is Always 25
September 10, 2012
There are just times when grief hits you like a tidal wave. The waves hit again and again. I’m just trying to come up as I tread water and catch my breath, trying to breathe and stay afloat. Greg’s 27th birthday earlier this year was one of those days for me. It was a week before Greg’s 27th birthday and I was already “feeling it.” I have not done well on the two birthdays since his accident. What really caused me a lot of pain on this birthday was the realization that this is another year that I count in […]
Gerald J. Schaefer; Spouse Loss: Repairing Your Life
September 6, 2012
Gerald J. Schaefer lost his wife to breast cancer and was left a single parent with two young sons. He has been a large capital Project Manager in the paper, pharmaceutical and utility industry and has a chemical engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin. He is the author of The Widower’s Toolbox: Repairing Your Life After Losing Your Spouse. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/audio.opentohope.com/2012/09/Gerald-Schaefer_01-01.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
