Broken heart syndrome is a real, temporary heart condition that intense grief or shock can trigger, mimicking a heart attack. Here’s what the science says, who is most at risk, and when to seek emergency care.
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Grief and guilt are deeply intertwined — “what if” and “if only” haunt many grieving people. Here’s why guilt is such a common part of loss, the different forms it takes, and how to release blame you were never meant to carry.
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Crying and grief are deeply connected, but the relationship is complicated. Some bereaved people cry constantly; others can’t seem to cry at all. Here’s what the science actually says about crying in grief, and 6 ways to honor your own pattern — whatever it looks like.
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It is a well-documented phenomenon: a person loses a limb, yet they can still feel it. The brain continues to fire signals to a hand or a leg that is no longer there. They reach for objects with fingers that do not exist or try to stand on a foot that has been gone for years. The nerves are firing based on a map of the body that has not been updated. When I lost my wife, Bonnie, six years ago, I discovered that grief creates its own version of a phantom limb. Except, I did not just lose a […]
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Caregiver grief is a complex, layered mourning that unfolds both during and after a loved one’s long illness. Here’s why caregivers grieve so uniquely, the guilt and relief that often follow, and how to heal after the caregiving ends.
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Grief and faith are deeply connected — loss can shake your beliefs or deepen them, sometimes both at once. Here’s how grief affects spirituality, why doubt is normal, and how faith can become a source of comfort in mourning.
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Grief in marriage can be devastating when you and your partner grieve differently. After losing a child, parent, or other shared loved one, couples often find themselves out of sync. Here are 8 compassionate ways to navigate grief in marriage and protect the relationship.
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Grief rituals aren’t just tradition — research shows they genuinely help us cope with loss. Here’s why rituals ease grief, ideas for creating your own meaningful memorials, and how small acts of remembrance can bring comfort.
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As I drifted off to sleep last night, my heart hummed with a familiar warmth and, in its secret way, sent out a quiet invitation to those nocturnal angels who watch over us at night. I found myself in one of those quasi-dream states in which most of me was dreaming, but there was a sliver of awareness that could witness what unfolds. I was standing alone in the gauzy grey of twilight, underneath a large exterior deck of a familiar ski lodge from my childhood. I don’t know what I was doing there but the mood was expectant, preparatory. […]
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I may be the last person in the world who didn’t know the meaning of life-maxxing. Earlier this week, I came across it for the very first time in a social media post and realized the word embodied everything I believe in and have learned through my grief journey. Life-maxxing (or maxing) started as slang, and now I see it everywhere. On social media, it’s all about maximizing and optimizing mental and physical health, productivity, career, aspirations, and financial success. And yet this word triggers a much deeper meaning for me. It means living life to the fullest because my loved […]
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Grief and depression can look alike, but they are not the same — and knowing the difference matters. Here’s how to tell grief from clinical depression, why they sometimes overlap, and when it’s time to reach out for help.
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When you meet someone new, it’s the heat that won’t break, the dry cleaner down the street that’s too expensive, how you take your coffee. We sat over dinner. He sent the dish back— too spicy, he said, as if it were the dish that missed the mark. They brought something softer. He thanked them, moved on. So did I. The questions came in their usual spacing— easy enough to keep things level. He asks it and reaches for his glass before I answer. How many children? I feel the ice in my […]
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Post-traumatic growth is the scientifically documented experience of being changed for the better — not in spite of grief, but because of it. Here’s what post-traumatic growth actually means, the 5 areas it appears in, and how bereaved people slowly grow around their loss.
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A crowd is the wrong place for a whisper. Sound there is measured in weight, not meaning. A whisper asks something else. For proximity. For stillness. For the small kindness of someone leaning in, of meeting a mild breeze. It does not compete. It waits. It listens for the quiet of a wave braking at ocean’s edge. In a crowd, it is mistaken for absence. But in the dark, when one person turns and another is already listening, it becomes a bridge— not loud enough to impress, only strong enough to cross. POEM GUIDE AND […]
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The loneliness of grief is one of the most universal and least talked-about parts of bereavement. Even surrounded by people, you can feel utterly alone. Here are 7 compassionate ways to navigate grief loneliness and slowly build connection through the hardest season.
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Father’s Day after loss can feel like a long, loud reminder of everything you no longer have. Whether you’re grieving your dad, your child, your partner, or another father figure, here are 8 compassionate, therapist-tested ways to cope with grief on Father’s Day, honor the man you loved, and find a quiet thread of hope on a tender day.
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Grief triggers are the unexpected reminders that knock you sideways months or years after a loss — a song on the radio, a familiar smell, a stranger’s phrase. Here’s why grief triggers happen, what to do when one ambushes you, and 8 ways to live alongside them.
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There is a phone booth in the middle of the desert in Joshua Tree. It was installed by Colin Campbell and Gail Lerner in honor of their two children, Ruby and Hart, who died in a 2019 car crash. It lives out there amid the tall cholla cacti and the wind that sweeps circles into the salt and sand. I have been thinking about this telephone lately, of how few spaces we have to offload our grief. In her book, Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss, Hope Edelman offers a handful of events that she believes have the potential to change […]
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Grief Changes You – Awareness Helps You to Rebuild Loss changes you. It’s natural to feel lonely and unsure when someone important is no longer there. When depression that follows loss is part of the picture, everything can feel heavier and harder to move through. For a long time, that weight can feel constant – like you’re moving through fog. Separation can also create a space you don’t recognize, but it can also help you see yourself without old patterns or expectations. That distance can feel uncomfortable at first, but it is often where something begins to shift. You start […]
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It’s Spring and you find yourself watching people around you excitedly making plans for their upcoming summer vacations. Instead, what are you doing? You are thinking about how much you miss your loved one. How long has it been? Bereaved people are often asked this question. I ask it of you, “How long has it been?” Now answer this question: “How long does it feel like it’s been?” A common answer is, “On one hand it feels like yesterday. On the other, it feels like a long time ago.” Why do we experience our lives like this? How can something […]
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Memorial Day is meant to be a day of remembrance, but for those who are actively grieving, the holiday can feel like an emotional ambush. Here’s how to cope with grief on Memorial Day, honor the loved one you lost, and protect your own heart on a day designed for remembering.
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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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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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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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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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““ Success in marriage is more than finding the right person. It’s becoming the right person.” Many of us had those “puppy love crushes” in our teenage years with no expectation of it leading to the altar. I purchased a cute Valentine’s Day card for a “guy” I was dating on-again, off-again. There was no intention in mind other than to get his attention with a bit of lighthearted humor. For all I knew, he could have promptly discarded the greeting card. On the front of the valentine was a picture of a sad, droopy hound dog and the words: […]
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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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I’ve always found it strange that there’s no word for a parent who loses a child. Why do widows, widowers, and orphans get to have all the fun? I think it’s time for someone to right this wrong. Bear with me for a moment as I reaffirm what you already know: children aren’t supposed to die before their parents. That’s just not the way life should work. We give birth to children or adopt them, we love and nurture them, we raise them, they grow up, we grow old, and then we die. The circle of life, sunrise, sunset, […]
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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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It is the holiday season, and in those first year or two, the pain of not having my son home for the holidays was overwhelming. What hurt most was his absence—no longer buying him his eight Chanukah gifts, not watching him light his menorah alongside his sister’s, and alongside the family menorah that my wife and I light together. Going to my in-laws’ home on Christmas was just as difficult, seeing gifts under the tree for everyone except him. Simply knowing he was not there was emotionally draining for us, year after year. Over the years, this particular pain has eased little […]
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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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For a long time, my go-to stress mode was restriction. Not just with food, but with everything. When life felt uncertain, I’d tighten my grip. Shrink my schedule. Shrink my appetite. Shrink myself. It was a way of controlling what I could. A survival reflex from years of starving out my own needs while serving everyone else’s. The irony is that I built a life feeding others, yet often forgot to feed myself. Grief made that pattern louder. It’s strange how something can feel heavy and hollow at the same time. The weight of loss. The emptiness of absence. The […]
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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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The last time that I saw my father, I was 7. He died when I was 28. But I truly lost him at 43 Grief. Such a complex topic—one that we do not speak about enough. Grief shows up in many situations; it is not only about the passing of a loved one. In reality, we are all faced with grief throughout our lives, often on a subconscious level. And we rush through those events without honoring them for what they truly are: rites of passage—moments that mark profound transitions and have the power to transform us completely. Running From […]
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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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When a Parent is Ninety: Grieving the Loss of a ChildGrief has no expiration date. Whether you are thirty or ninety, the loss of a child shakes the soul. For a 90-year-old parent, this loss can feel especially disorienting — as if the natural order of life has been reversed. No matter how many years have passed, a parent never stops being a parent, and the heart never stops longing for the child it has loved.The Butterfly and the Empty BranchImagine a butterfly resting on a branch — delicate, vibrant, part of the garden’s beauty. It is late in the […]
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Ending Your Life Is Not the Answer You are at the end of your rope, and you can’t take it any much longer. You are in pain and you are suffering and you feel there is no hope. The first thing that you need to do is to seek the services of a professional counselor. As a published author of a managing fear book and as a layman, here are five reasons why suicide is not an option to your problems. Things Change Over Time Regardless of your situation, things do not stay the same. You may feel very bad […]
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Five Ways to Get Through the Holidays Holidays can be difficult when someone you love has died. Or you’ve lost your job. Or an important relationship has ended. It can be hard to watch others being joyful and merry while your life feels joyless. You may need to be more intentional about your plans this year. Here are 5 innovative ways you can get through (and maybe even enjoy them). Light a candle. Engage in a meaningful ritual. Set aside some intentional quiet time to think of your loved one (and your life). Perhaps write a letter letting him or […]
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Five Tips After the Death of a Child From the moment you get the news that your child has died, you are thrust into a surreal world. People are calling—including doctors, nurses, detectives, police, coroners, and funeral directors. You are disoriented, yet there are decisions that require your attention and macabre tasks you must attend to. Most of us rise to the occasion and react later. When you look back, you will undoubtedly wonder, “How did I get through that?” You will also be emotionally and physically confused for a long time. Take care of your mind and body and […]
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Just like you, Harriet Hodgson has lost loved ones. Just like you, she sought help. When Harriet couldn’t find the help she wanted, she wrote Daisy a Day, 365 short readings about coping with grief. Her tender, thoughtful words can help you find your healing path and keep walking toward the future. Daisy a Day is the hug you need.
From the very first page, Grief Doodling invites action. Topics range from the benefits of doodling to why doodling is fun to doodling tips and responding to doodling prompts. The prompts, based on grief research, promote self-worth and healing. This is a hopeful book—something all grieving kids need.
Spiritual Woman is like a dear friend, at your side when needed, reliable and ready to help. From the first page to the last, this daily guide empowers you. Read it in chronological order or pick any page and start reading. Keep Spiritual Woman on your bedside table. Stick it in your backpack or purse. Give a copy to a friend or colleague. Tell other women about it too, for we’re all in this life together.
Feel like you’re stuck in grief? Write your way out by following the steps in this concise, easy-to-use book. You need to tell your grief story. This book helps you do it with tips on your thinking place, writing place, how to write, what to write, and resources to boost your spirits. Grief in Your Words helps you create a path to the future.
Are you feeling overcome by grief? Join Dr’s Heidi and Gloria Horsley and their guest Dr. Mary-Francis O’Connor to learn about the physical nature of grief and ways that you can understand your body and learn ways to manage your responses. Dr. O’Connor is the author of The Grieving Brain and The Grieving Body: How the stress of loss can be an opportunity for healing. https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Mary-Frances-OConnor_-Healing-Through-Grief.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Has grief affected your body and mind? Join Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley with guest Kristina Amelong for a discussion on healing after loss. Kristina, a bereaved sibling, authored Ten Days to Optimal Health and the memoir What My Brother Knew.
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The death of both parents can leave us feeling lost and alone. Join Dr. Heidi Horsley and her guest Sundari Malcolm to discuss tools you will need to manage one of life’s greatest transitions. Sundari lost her mother to Breast Cancer, and four years later lost her father to Brain Cancer. She is the author of the Grief Gem, and the founder of A Healing Doula. Sundari is also the BIPOC Grief Educator and Care Curator for The Dinner Party. Visit Sundari Malcolm at: ahealingdoula.com https://media.blubrry.com/open_to_hope_1/www.opentohope.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Sundari-Malcolm_-Lifes-Greatest-Transition.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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The death of a loved one often brings up an array of feelings. How do we manage expectations and anger in grief? Join host Dr. Heidi Horsley, along with her guest Dr. Sweta Vikram, as she speaks openly about how she managed expectations and anger after the death of her beloved family members. Dr. Sweta Vikram lost her father and father-in-law, this was nine years after the death of her mother. Sweta is the best-selling author of 14 books, including her latest; The Loss That Binds Us; 108 Tips on Coping with Grief and Loss. Sweta was voted as “one […]
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How do we navigate life after the death of a parent? Join host Dr. Heidi Horsley, along with her guest Dr. Sweta Vikram, as she speaks openly about how she navigated life without her parents. Dr. Sweta Vikram lost her father and father-in-law, this was nine years after the death of her mother. Sweta is the best-selling author of 14 books, including her latest; The Loss That Binds Us; 108 Tips on Coping with Grief and Loss. Sweta was voted as “one of the most influential Asians of our time,” and the winner of the “voice of the year” award. […]
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Does it feel impossible to find a new normal after a loss? Join host Dr. Heidi Horsley, along with her guest Dr. Sweta Vikram, as she speaks openly about how she navigated the death of her beloved family members. Dr. Sweta Vikram lost her father and father-in-law, this was nine years after the death of her mother. Sweta is the best-selling author of 14 books, including her latest; The Loss That Binds Us; 108 Tips on Coping with Grief and Loss. Sweta was voted as “one of the most influential Asians of our time,” and the winner of the “voice […]
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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.
