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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Welcomed Tears
June 26, 2017
I have met many people since my son David died 8 years ago who have struggled with the death of a loved one. We have all have had different challenges in moving forward with our lives afterward. It is especially difficult when the person who has died was taken early in their life, when they still had so much to give the world and those they loved. David was only 10 when he died. Tragically a short time after David died, our dear friends and neighbors, as close a friends as we had, who have children the same ages as […]
My Summer of Grief Led to New Normal
June 26, 2017
Our daughter died on July 19, 2005. The shock of her suicide and my own gut-wrenching grief that day is painful to remember. No one in our family knew what to do or how to react. It was like falling out of a boat in the dark at high tide. We couldn’t “swim”. We couldn’t help each other. We could only survive. Everyone seemed to be in a daze. We found no help from priests, doctors, Cyndi’s husband or the investigators of Cyndi’s death. At the time, I didn’t know about Compassionate Friends. When someone mentioned it to me, I […]
Rod Mebane: Tributes To Lost Children
June 22, 2017
Rod Mebane is a writer, editor, and independent publisher. Following the death of his 19 year old daughter Emma in 2011 he became curious about what other families do to honor their departed children and after researching the topic he wrote “Tributes to Lost Children” (2016) – a snapshot of how 147 families have honored their children who have passed away. http://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/06053728/Rod-Mebane.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Five Signs You May Be Carrying Hidden Grief
June 13, 2017
When my son Justin died in 1993 at the age of 16, I was emotionally crippled for at least a year, unable to return to my former life in advertising or relate to people in familiar ways. Over time, I reassembled the tattered scraps of my life into a new tapestry, and I took all the time I needed to grieve well. After 10 years, I had created a rich new life, with wonderful friends, meaningful work and a robust spiritual practice. I had met the man who would become my husband and joyfully embraced my new role as […]
Alan Pedersen: The Compassionate Friends: A Place of Hope
June 8, 2017
On this how Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley discuss with Executive Director of The Compassionate Friends Alan Pedersen the grief journey and how The Compassionate Friends supports those who are looking for hope. They invite everyone who has been impacted by the loss of a child, sibling or grandchild to attend the TCF national conference July 28 and 29th 2017 in Orlando, Florida. http://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/05162706/alan.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Ron Glenn Kelly: Men and Grief
May 25, 2017
Glenn Kelly, author of Sometimes I Cry In The Shower, unexpectedly lost his teenage son and only child to a congenital heart defect. Since then, he has become an authority on male versus female expressions of grief. Citing the impacts of Nature and Nurture on each sex, R. Glenn brings awareness of how these pre-wired differences, which seem opposing at first, can actually lead to long-term, loving support throughout the healing process of loss. http://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/25083238/R-Glen-Kelly.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Episode 104: Honoring our Children
May 16, 2017
On this show Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley interview Gabrielle Doucet, author of Let Go & Let Love; Survivors of Suicide Loss Healing Handbook, and Judy Pedersen along with bereaved parent Daniel Abut from Hearts of Hope foundation regarding loss and how they have honored deceased family members.
Allen Roth: Overdose: Supporting Parents
May 11, 2017
Allen Roth’s 30-year-old daughter, Tammy, died from a drug overdose in 1995. In the aftermath, he became involved with The Compassionate Friends and is currently the group’s Regional Coordinator in Washington state. Over the years, he has observed in himself and others the progression from overwhelming grief to a balance of being open to joy and love while always carrying the love of his child in his heart. http://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/25082213/Allen-Roth.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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David Ferber: A Dad’s Grief
May 4, 2017
David Ferber is the father of Russell Ferber, who died in a car accident in 2002 at age 21. David soon joined, and then became the facilitator of a fathers group at The Compassionate Friends, the support group for grieving parents. The fathers group was an instant success, and it became a regular feature of New York chapter meetings. http://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/opentohope.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/25075254/David-Ferber.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
