Surviving siblings are sometimes called the forgotten grievers. Brothers and sisters lose their oldest witness, their playmate, the keeper of their childhood — and the world too often expects them to be the strong one. Here’s why sibling loss is uniquely complicated, and 7 ways to honor your grief.
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Mother’s Day after loss can feel like an emotional minefield. Whether you’re grieving your mother, a child, a sibling, or anyone you love, here are 9 compassionate, therapist-tested ways to cope with grief on Mother’s Day, honor your person, and find a quiet thread of hope on a tender holiday.
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Mother’s Day usually stirs up memories of celebrating my Mom with my brothers and sisters when we were kids- showering her with all the snuggles, handmade cards and French toast from the Betty Crocker Boys and Girls Cookbook. Nothing said I Love You like delivering fresh flowers to her (right out of her garden).🌷 This year, though, I’ve been thinking a lot about my dear new friend, Marlene, who will be navigating her first Mother’s Day since the shocking death of her beloved son, BJ. Marlene shared the heart shattering news on social media last year, “No words […]
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Grief seldom moves in straight lines. Rather, grief can be more like the ever-changing weather over the ocean or like the relentless tides against a rocky coast. Some days it is mist. Some days it is stormy. And sometimes, it becomes stone. I meet people years after a loss who share, “I know it has been a long time, but it still feels like yesterday.” Their lives have continued. They work. They parent. They show up. Yet their bodies remain braced, as if the moment of loss is still unfolding. This is where the conversation about psychedelic-assisted grief therapy begins. […]
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When someone you love is grieving, the fear of saying the wrong thing can keep you frozen on the doorstep. Here are 12 things to say to a grieving friend, 5 things to never say, and the simplest, most powerful gift you can offer when words run out.
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Have you ever lost someone close, and in the brain fog of grief, wondered if you might forget some of the things you loved most about them? Their infectious belly laugh, extravagant generosity, or maybe their unconditional love for people? I get it. Since losing several of my closest and favorite family members- my beloved Mom, Dad, Nana, sister-in-love, Kay, and most recently, my “splendiferous” (his word) brother Mike, I’ve been trying to dig deep and remember exactly what it was that made each of their lives so memorable and magnificent. What if you could be the […]
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How many times have we heard it, or perhaps we’ve even said something like it ourselves: “Oh man, the first year after they died was hard, but I think the second year, in some ways, has been even harder.” It doesn’t seem fair, and how can it be fair that the second year of grieving can feel more challenging than the first? If and when that happens for us, it can feel rather crazy-making. Did I do something wrong? Is this normal? How can this even make sense? Good questions, and the answers to the first two are likely “no” […]
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I’ve come to believe that some souls simply aren’t meant to stay here long. And I don’t say that lightly. It’s not something I understand in any earthly way, because truthfully, I don’t. There’s no logic that can explain why someone we love so deeply could be here one day and gone the next. If there’s a reason, I wish I knew it. But I don’t. What I do believe is that we’re each sent here to touch certain lives. To love certain people. To leave imprints that carry on long after we’re gone. Maybe our time, no matter how […]
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Death is the eternal mystery, a mystery that fills our souls with both awe and terror. The consequences of the death of one’s mother is not like any other ordeal in life. Daughters are often faced with resurrecting a new life without a road map, catapulted upon the ruins that remain, while enduring indescribable emotional pain. Based on my experience of my mother’s death, and the shared narratives with other daughters, I have spoken with, this journey is both courageous and terrifying. You will regain your balance, but you will not be the same person. I have never surrendered my […]
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Grieving Who We Were Before the World Changed I didn’t need another reason to mentally and emotionally struggle. It’s what I have always known, what continues for me. There is a quiet kind of grief that doesn’t always come with a clear ending. It’s the grief for the version of ourselves that existed before Covid struck, before uncertainty became the norm, and before we were reshaped by it. We not only lost loved ones, but we lost ourselves. We were quietly expected to continue, to move forward, but not everyone has been able to do that. Long-Covid is something many […]
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Grief is part of the human experience; however, the grief of daughters whose mothers have died is particularly significant, especially for older women who were often caretakers during their mother’s end of life. The components of grief differ widely, and you are the expert on how to navigate this challenging yet sacred journey. It is important as part of this difficult and often lifelong journey to understand that grief is not limited to ordinary dimensions and that the metaphysical dimension that may often occur after a loved one has passed away may include inner knowing, visions, and dreams. Often, grievers […]
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Skating is a sport I shared with my beloved sisters. When we were young girls, we proudly carried our skates in plaid bags and raced to be the first ones on the ice. Margie, my older sister, the most talented, Jane, the youngest, was athletic, and I, the middle sister, a bit of a klutz. Little did I know that skating would become the chord that would bind me, honor, and remember, and forever find peace and joy with my sisters. Throughout my life, somehow the ice called me, a pull I never quite understood, my happy place, where […]
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Death is the eternal mystery, a mystery that fills our souls with both awe and terror. The consequences of the death of one’s mother is not like any other ordeal in life. Daughters are often faced with resurrecting a new life without a road map, catapulted upon the ruins that remain while enduring indescribable emotional pain. Based on my experience of my mother’s death, and the shared narratives with other daughters I have spoken with, this journey is both courageous and terrifying. Grief is often a taboo topic, and many women (and men) in mourning are not only distraught but […]
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Loss can feel like the moment the world shifts beneath your feet. You look around and everything appears the same, yet nothing feels the same. And still, even in the deepest ache, something extraordinary begins to stir. I have spent more than four decades companioning people through loss, and I have learned: Grief is not the end of your story. It is the beginning of your transformation. Loss shakes us to our core and reveals what truly matters. It invites us gently, quietly, and at our own pace, to discover strengths, truths, and inner resources we never knew we possessed. […]
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It happened in New York, April 10th, nineteen years ago. Even my hand balks at the date. I had to push to write it down, just to keep the pen moving on the paper. It used to be a perfectly ordinary day, but now it sticks up on the calendar like a rusty nail. —Donna Tartt, author of The Goldfinch There is a year nearly every daughter who has lost her mother describes as being very significant. This is the year when she becomes the age of her mother when she died. This was also true for me. When I […]
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You wake up in the morning and for the first few hazy seconds, you think maybe it was all a bad dream. As soon as you get out of bed, a tidal wave of grief knocks you down, bringing you to your knees, and you immediately start to cry. You can’t stop crying. This is the beginning of the end of your life as you knew it—grieving your child who is no longer alive. Whether it was a long goodbye, a short goodbye, or no goodbye, you want the pain to stop but you don’t think it ever will. […]
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Another New Year’s celebration has come and gone. For me, the reality of another year my daughter didn’t live to see is a painful one. Even many years after her death. Whether your grief is fresh or seasoned, New Year’s celebration and traditions of new beginnings in the form of yearly resolutions can be extremely painful. I often describe it as a “slap in the face” reminder that the world has moved on without my daughter—while I still think of her and miss her every day. It all started in September 2009, when my 4-year-old daughter died in a sudden, […]
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Christmas had always been a special time for me. The anticipation of Christmas day – decorating the tree and house, buying presents, beautiful food and spending time with family. But over time, Christmas has lost its sparkle. While I still appreciate the day with people I love – it no longer holds the same energy as years before. The excitement has been replaced more with a time for reflection and a longing for times gone by. Grief has woven her darkness through the tapestry of life with my brother Carl’s passing after a car accident, precious pets transitioning, and long-term […]
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In our culture, grief is often something we are expected to move through quietly and efficiently. After the funeral, after the condolences fade, families are handed the ashes of someone they love and then left largely on their own to figure out what healing looks like. There is an unspoken expectation of “closure,” as if love ends where a life does. But what if grief is not something to close, but something to continue? I came to this question through two worlds that have shaped my life – hospice nursing and the arts. As a hospice nurse, I have sat […]
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“Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train.” — Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido Grief is one of the deepest kinds of spiritual work we will ever do because it arises from the deepest parts of who we are. As we explore these depths, we discover one of the most fundamental human behaviors, which is the reflexive habit of turning away from pain. Everything in our mental, physical, and emotional DNA tells us to avoid discomfort at all costs. We are wired to seek pleasure and to avoid pain. But this habit to avoid […]
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Drastically, his mental state had deteriorated. Now I see it clearly: my brother was incredibly strong for holding on as long as he did. He carried the weight for over a decade, ever since I left him behind when I immigrated to Canada. Conditioned to live by abandoning his own needs and silencing his own dreams, he poured all his energy into everyone else. Facing my own suicidal thoughts became the heaviest burden of all. Only later did I learn from Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s The Wilderness of Suicide Grief: Survivors of suicide loss are at high risk themselves. It’s not just […]
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As time progresses, new reasons to mourn may rap on your door. Birthdays, anniversaries, milestones, major holidays—even seemingly innocuous events may reignite sorrow. A veil of tears might distort your vision as your grandchild toddles around. If only my husband could see his latest grandchild learn to walk. Conversely, if your child died or went missing, the growth of other people’s kids might activate strong reactions. Consider revisiting this book then. It is also helpful to face significant dates with a ritual. According to Drs. Evan Imber-Black and Janine Roberts, “when healing rituals have not occurred, or have been […]
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When we are children growing up, it usually never enters our mind that anything, or anybody in our lives will ever change. We envision our parents as being with us always. Our grandparents are a delight and we certainly can’t imagine our lives disconnected from them. Without a doubt, in our innocent thinking, we will sail into the beautiful sunset with all of our siblings. What a devastating wake-up call to find out that people die, that our lives forever change when the people we love the most go by way of the grave. When we lost extended and distant […]
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One part of you knows that you must go on with your life, while another part doesn’t ever want to get out of bed. One part of you feels like you did everything possible to save your child, while another part takes you to task for not having done enough. One part of you believes that you were the best parent a child could ever have, while another part questions how you could possibly be the best parent when you failed to keep your child alive. One part of you accepts the reality of your loss, while another part […]
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Some things in life just go together like the dropped ice cream on the ground and a toddler’s cry or a young son’s first goodbye and a mother’s tears. When the first one occurs, it is followed by the second. It is more than an expectation, more than most of the time. It actually “comes with the territory” of dropped ice cream or a son’s good-bye. In a similar fashion, tasks of life are things that are more than expectations. They are things that “come with the territory”: autumn will come each year and leaves will be raked, the dryer […]
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Judgment in Grief: A Societal Reflection As a society, we must ask ourselves: have we reached a point where the level of sympathy offered to grieving families depends on the choices made by their loved ones? It is troubling to consider that families may receive varying degrees of compassion based on how their loved one passed away—whether from cancer, overdose, accident, suicide, heart attack, or murder. This raises the question: are we so critical of others that we allow our judgments to influence who is deserving of more or less sympathy? Debating Irrelevant Issues While debates about whether addiction is […]
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The process of transitioning from this realm into another is an experience that you, as the living counterpart, have the honor to participate in and witness. Transitions take place through energy portals. A portal can be described as a way in. As your loved one crossed over, they entered a portal into the spiritual realm specific to them. Your grief holds the opposite portal. Portals exist as gateways and passageways between dimensions that allow Spirits to maneuver in and out of the alternate worlds. These are parallel universes, which exist side by side, and, because these portals have opened, the […]
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When we think of grief, most of us picture the loss of someone we love. Yet there is another kind of grief, quieter and often unnamed: the grief of losing touch with parts of ourselves. For some, early trauma or difficult experiences meant silencing our voice, hiding our needs, or abandoning joy in order to stay safe. These strategies helped us survive. But later in life, we may realize how much of ourselves has been left behind. That realization can feel like grief — because it is. This form of grief doesn’t come with rituals or sympathy cards. It doesn’t […]
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In a New Yorker article, Tad Friend quoted a psychiatrist who had ample experience with those who vaulted to their deaths from the Golden Gate bridge. The doctor singled out a case that especially moved him: “The guy was in his thirties, lived alone, pretty bare apartment. He’d written a note and left it on his bureau. It said, ‘I am going to walk to the bridge. If one person smiles at me on the way, I will not jump’” (Tad Friend, “Jumpers,” The New Yorker, October 5, 2003, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/10/13/jumpers). Sadly, he jumped, which must mean nobody smiled at […]
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Dad Dying of Dementia When I was a little girl, I idolized my dad. The ease in which he moved through life, his gentle nature and compassionate soul made being with him feel like being tightly embraced, pulled into a warm hug that could cure the worst kind of day. I remember being in awe of him and his light, his steady hand, the way he made anyone he spoke to feel important. From the joyful and lighthearted years of childhood to the trying, sticky years of adolescence, my dad was a place of solace for me, carrying my burdens […]
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Join Dr’s Gloria and Heidi Horsley and their guest Jon Ganues. Jon previously managed the Men’s Program at TAPS, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, overseeing event planning and survivor support. A retired U.S. Army Warrant Officer with 21 years of active service. Jon is a lifetime member of the U.S. Army Warrant Officers Association and an Honorary Board Member for Henrico County CASA. His work with TAPS was dedicated to honoring his son, A1C Jon Wesley Ganues, Jr. (USAF), who died by suicide on June 2, 2009.
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Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley interview bestselling author James Norbury, creator of illustrated books Big Panda and Tiny Dragon and The Dog Who Followed the Moon. While writing his latest book, THE WAY TO A BEAUTIFUL WORLD, Norbury experienced the loss of his brother. His personal journey parallels his characters’ stories, offering insight and support for those coping with grief.
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Have you considered spirituality as a factor is your grief recovery? Join Dr’s Gloria and Heidi Horsley and their Guest Janet Lynn Roseman, PhD. a bereaved daughter and intuitive healer. Hear what we can learn from traditional healers about staying connected to loved ones who have died. Dr. Roseman is the author of The Eternal Bond: Daughters Honor their Mothers on the Other side. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Dr.-Janet-Lynn-Roseman_-Grief-Spirituality-and-Staying-Connected-Beyond-Death.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Has losing a friend affected your life? Join Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley with guest Hannah Rumsey—writer, podcaster, certified Grief Educator, and leader of friend-loss support groups—as she discusses the overlooked grief of losing friends and her work in supporting those who grieve such losses. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Hannah-Rumsey_-When-a-Friend-Dies-Understanding-an-Overlooked-Grief.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Join Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley with guest Ben Burgess, a twice-bereaved sibling veteran and Project Healing Waters regional coordinator, as they discuss supporting men through grief. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Ben-Burgess-Supporting-Men-Through-Grief.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Want to transform your grief? Join Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley as they talk with Ligia Houben, MA, FT, FAAGC, CPC, who has helped thousands navigate loss with her approach, The 11 Principles of Transformation®. Her latest book is Allow Me to Live My Grief… and Heal from the Inside Out. . www.instagram.com/ligia_houben https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Ligia-Houben_-Healing-From-the-Inside-Out-1.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Need some tips on how to stay hopeful after multiple losses? Join Dr’s Heidi and Gloria Horsley and their guest Bobbie Milne bereaved mom and spouse for advice and support. Bobbie is the author of Not My Andrew and a coordinator of Eastern Pennsylvania region for The Compassionate Friends. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Bobbie-Milne_-Maintaining-Hope-After-loss.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Consider taking a moment to slow down, connect, and heal. Join Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley and their guest Amanda Dobler, a military widow and Gold Star spouse. Hear her personal journey through grief and loss and recovery. Amanda is a licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Amanda-Dobler_-Turning-Struggles-into-Strength.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Are you struggling with dating after a loss? Join Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley, and Tony Stewart as they discuss finding new love after such an experience. Tony’s book, Carrying the Tiger, recounts his journey from learning about his wife Lynn’s cancer to moving forward without her. https://youtu.be/seMuz_lWNT8 https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Tony-Stewart_-Loss-Love-and-New-Relationships.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Struggling with infertility or child loss? join Dr’s Gloria and their guest Dr. Rebecca N. Thompson to explore the complexities of motherhood and how it can come in diverse ways. Dr. Thompson is the author of Held Together intertwining her personal story of life-threatening pregnancy complications with the stories of her patients, friends, and medical colleagues. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr.-Rebecca-N-Thompson_-Emotional-Impacts-of-Family-Loss.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Are you struggling with suicide loss? Join Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley as they speak with Kim Burditt, whose brother, a US Marine Corps veteran, died by suicide in April 2010. Kim is currently the Senior Manager of Donor Engagement for Black Box Project, a unique suicide prevention initiative for loss survivors at the non-profit organization Stop Soldier Suicide. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kim-Burditt_-Living-With-Suicide-Loss.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Have you considered theater as a healing activity after loss? Join Dr’s Gloria and Heidi Horsley and their guest Tysha Scott bereaved spouse and trauma survivor for fresh ideas on shaking up your life. Tysha was a child performer and attended the famous “Fame” High school of Performing Arts in New York City. Today she continues to support the arts. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Tysha-Scott_-How-Theater-Heals-After-Loss.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Are you letting loss deter you from becoming the best version of yourself? Join Dr’s Gloria and Heidi Horsley and their guest Michelle Gabriel, President and CEO of the Joseph Gabriel Foundation (JGF) named after her deceased dad. Michelle is a survivor of sexual assault who channels her experiences into her work, fostering resilience and advocacy for those facing life’s challenges. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Michelle-Gabriel_-Strength-Building-Through-Trauma-and-Loss.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Are you feeling judgment and criticism after a substance involved loss? Join Dr’s Gloria Horsley and her daughter Rebecca Bara and their guest Brenda Daly, social worker, grief expert and bereaved parent. Brenda is the author of I Got Up: A Mother’s Story of Grief, Resilience, and Unending Love based on the death of her son Kevin. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Brenda-Daly_-Substance-Involved-Deaths.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Have you had a loved one or family member killed or injured by traffic violence? Join Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley and their guests Amy Cohen, Dr. Regine Bateson, and Ana Theis to learn about the. National movement supporting all those who are personally impacted by traffic violence. Amy Cohen, Co-Founded Families for Safe Streets after her 12-year-old son Sammy was killed crossing the street in a pedestrian zone. Dr. Regina Bateson is an assistant professor in the political science department at the University of Colorado Boulder, who conducted a long-term study of Families for Safe Streets. Ana Theis […]
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Looking for grief support? Join Dr’s Gloria and Heidi Horsley and their guest Margo Fowkes. Following the death of her son Jimmy in 2014 to brain cancer, Margo Fowkes launched Salt Water, an online community that provides a safe harbor for those who have lost someone. She is the Author of award-winning Leading Through Loss: How to Navigate Grief at Work. Visit Margo Fowkes at: findyourharbor.com https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Margo-Fowkes_-Acknowledging-and-Witnessing-Grief.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Galen Call shares her journey at the Helping Parents Heal conference. Helping Parents Heal is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting parents whose children have passed. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/content.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/Galen-Call-Finding-Hope-After-the-Child-Loss.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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The Roar of Silence is a poetry collection written in the aftermath of profound loss, when language breaks down and silence becomes the only honest response. After the death of his son, a father searches for meaning in the quiet that follows devastation. These poems do not attempt to resolve grief or offer consolation. Instead, they listen—to absence, to memory, and to the altered gravity of living on. Silence appears here as wound and teacher, as accusation and refuge, as the space where truth waits without explanation. Moving through themes of fatherhood, masculinity, inheritance, endurance, and love passed forward, The Roar of […]
A self-help book that guides readers through the grieving process after losing a loved one, offering practical tools and encouragement to find hope and joy again. Written by an author who experienced significant loss, the book helps readers understand their feelings, provides steps for healing, and encourages journaling to honor the memory of the deceased. It’s designed to be a supportive resource for navigating the overwhelming emotions of grief, including holidays and special days, and recognizing when to seek professional help. Key aspects of the book: Author’s experience: Marshall wrote the book after losing close family members, using her own journey […]
How do we nurture hope in grieving kids? Join hosts Dr. Gloria Horsley and her daughter Dr. Heidi Horsley with their guests; Dr. Korie Leigh, Julie Ryan, Dr. Liza Barros-Lane, and Kate Mollison to candidly discuss how to help grieving children. Dr. Korie Leigh is an Associate Professor and Program Director at Marian University, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Heros’ Path Palliative Care. She is the author of, It Won’t Ever Be the Same; A Teens Guide to Grief and Grieving, and What Does Grief Look Like? Julie Ryan is a Medical Intuitive. She is the […]
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Open to Hope is an online community offering inspirational stories of loss, hope and recovery. We believe hope is the bridge between loss and recovery.
