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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Barbara Hoffman: Don’t Run Red Lights
February 15, 2018
Barb Hoffman is the Executive Director of Red Means Stop Traffic Safety Alliance. She joined this organization as a volunteer back in 2004 after her fourteen-year-old son, Michael Allanson, was hit and killed by a man who ran a red light in Mesa Arizona. Barb is the author of Carelessness is No Accident. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Barbara-Hoffman.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Neal Raisman: Finding Balance After Loss
February 1, 2018
Neal Raisman Ph.D. is ex-college president who lost his son Isaac to meningitis. He struggled to reconcile and live with the loss finally finding outlet for his grief in writing a book, Standing on One Foot, to express and explore his grief leading to ways to find a new balance in life. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Neal-Raisman.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Harriet Hodgson: Raising Grandchildren
January 18, 2018
Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance health/wellness writer for 37+ years, is the author of 37 books, and thousands of articles. Her latest writing focuses on caregiving, and this is her 20th year as a caregiver. She was her demented mother’s caregiver for nine years, her twin grandchildren’s caregiver for seven years, and has been her disabled husband’s caregiver for four years, with more years to come. Hodgson is a contributing writer for Open to Hope website, The Grief Toolbox Website, and The Caregiver Space website. Her latest book, “So You’re Raising Your Grandkids,” is in production now and slated […]
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Coping With the Loss of a Teen by Suicide
January 10, 2018
At the annual ADEC (Association of Death Education and Counseling), I spoke with Carolyn Zahnow about The Shore Grief Center and tips she has to find healing after suicide loss. Carolyn lost her son, Cameron, in 2005 when he was 18 years old. In the video below, Carolyn shares advice on how to cope with this experience if you’re grieving after having lost your teenage child to suicide. Here are some key takeaways from the video: The first year is awful, Carolyn says, and describes it as being in a fog. Carolyn first recommends going to a grief support group. […]
Episode 118: Men and Grief with R. Glenn Kelly, Ron Villano and Anna Huckabee Tull
January 8, 2018
On this show Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley interview R. Glenn Kelly, who lost his only child, Jonathan, to a congenital heart defect and Ron Villano whose son, Michael died in an automobile accident. Both men are motivational speakers and authors. R. Glenn is the author of Sometimes I Cry in the Shower and The Griefcase. Ron Villano is a psychotherapist, author of The Zing and founder and director of family & personal counseling & hypnosis of Long Island.
Episode 116: Child Loss: Keeping Memories Alive with Michael and Maya Luria and Becky Belanger
January 8, 2018
On this show Dr.Gloria Horsley and Dr.Heidi Horsley interview Michael and Maya Luria, co-founders of the Bald Beauties Project, a non-profit that benefits children and young adults with cancer. Becky Belanger joins them, to talk about how the Bald Beauty project helped her, when her 3 and 1/2 yr. old daughter was dying of pediatric cancer.
Episode 115: Spiritual Experience and the Afterlife
January 8, 2018
On this show Dr. Gloria & Dr. Heidi Horsley interview bereaved parents Elizabeth Boisson, Irene Vouvalides and Ernie Jackson regarding their view of the afterlife and how their experiences have helped them to cope with their losses. Their organization, “Helping Parents Heal,” founded by Elizabeth Boisson, offers bereaved parents an open discussion of spiritual and after life experiences. A video clip of Suzanne Giesemann, Evidential Medium and Author is shown.
Be Selfish to Heal More Quickly
January 8, 2018
I didn’t believe that my son would die. The death of a child is a tragic and horrific event that happens to someone else, not to me. Until it did. The grieving process sucked the very life out of me. My grief strained me emotionally as I experienced a roller-coaster of emotions like anger, depression, guilt, sadness and confusion. The grief process drained me physically as I realized that the energy I was accustomed to having each day had vanished with my son and was no longer available. I remember telling myself that I should get over being so sad […]
How Spouses Can Talk About Grief After a Child Dies
January 4, 2018
At the annual ADEC (Association of Death Education and Counseling), I spoke with An Hooghe about loss and the relationship with spouses after a child dies. An is a clinical psychologist who does research on bereaved parents who have lost a child. This research includes how the parents cope and how they talk to each other afterwards. An is particularly focused on better understanding why parents don’t talk to each other about their grief, which is something An believes needs to be explored more. In the video below, An explains why some parents don’t want to talk about their grief, […]
