Loss of a Family Member

  • Walk On

    Posted on September 30, 2026 - by Stephen Panus

    The most trusted, authoritative, and influential voice in the publishing world, Kirkus Book Reviews, raves about Walk On , proclaiming it to be “a raw, moving memoir that deftly explores grief and hope in equal measure . . . It is Panus’ unique and sometimes poetic turns of phrase, however, that truly bring Jake’s story to life . . . The author’s acknowledgment that grief is an “unwelcome topic in our society” makes his willingness to tackle it head-on even more admirable.” In today’s world, grief and adversity are everywhere, causing many to suffer and lose hope. From the depths of […]

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    The Five Stages of Grief: What Kübler-Ross Really Meant

    Posted on September 26, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    The five stages of grief are the most famous and most misunderstood model of loss. Here’s where denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance actually came from, and why grief was never meant to be a tidy five-step line.

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  • When Friends Disappear After Your Loss: Why It Happens and What to Do

    Posted on September 24, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    When friends disappear after a loss, the second wound can hurt almost as much as the first. Why does it happen, and what can you do? Here are 7 compassionate insights for bereaved people whose friend circles changed after the death.

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  • It Was Not the Same: Caregiving After Sibling Loss 

    Posted on September 22, 2026 - by Dr. Angela Dean

    When my mother had a recent medical crisis, on my way home from the hospital nearly in tears, I called a first cousin.  I was overwhelmed by a grief that felt new and heavy. I reached for someone who loves me and my mom, someone who has been in our family for longer than I have. She was kind enough to answer and stay on the line. She listened, was empathic, and said the right things.   After we spoke, I felt I still needed more. So, I called my aunt. Similarly, I felt heard, empathized with, and truly supported. While the conversation left me feeling better than the one with her daughter, somewhere in the middle of that conversation, I […]

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  • Coping With the Sudden Death of a Spouse: A Therapist’s Compassionate Guide

    Posted on September 17, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Sudden death of a spouse is one of the most disorienting experiences a human can survive. There is no preparation, no goodbye, no chance to say what mattered. Here are 9 compassionate, therapist-tested ways to cope with the sudden death of a spouse and start finding your footing again.

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  • Rethinking Sympathy in Times of Loss

    Posted on September 9, 2026 - by Hope Reger

    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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  • Returning to Work After a Death: A Guide to Grieving on the Job

    Posted on September 1, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Returning to work after a death is one of grief’s hardest transitions, especially when bereavement leave runs out fast. Here’s how to navigate grieving on the job, what to ask for, and how to be gentle with yourself.

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  • What to Say to Someone Who Is Grieving (and What to Avoid)

    Posted on August 28, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Not sure what to say to someone who is grieving? You don’t need perfect words. Here’s what genuinely comforts a grieving person, the common phrases to avoid, and why simply showing up matters most.

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  • Men and Grief: Why Loss Often Looks Different for Men

    Posted on August 26, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Men and grief can look very different from what we expect — often quieter, more action-oriented, and more likely to go unsupported. Here’s why men grieve the way they do, why it’s not ‘wrong,’ and how to help grieving men.

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  • Sudden Death vs. Anticipated Loss: How the Type of Death Shapes Grief

    Posted on August 24, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Sudden death and anticipated loss lead to very different grief journeys. Here’s how a sudden, traumatic death differs from a long, expected one, why each is hard in its own way, and what helps in both.

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  • Grief and Anxiety: When Loss Brings Panic, Dread, and Worry

    Posted on August 23, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Grief and anxiety often arrive together — loss can trigger panic, dread, and constant worry. Here’s why anxiety is such a common part of grief, when it needs extra attention, and how to calm a grieving, anxious mind.

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  • Grief and Faith: When Your Beliefs Are Shaken by Loss

    Posted on August 20, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Grief and faith have a complicated relationship. When you lose someone you love, your beliefs can deepen, shift, shatter, or all three. Here are 7 compassionate ways to navigate grief and faith after loss, whatever your tradition (or lack of one) looks like.

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  • Grief After Suicide Loss: Support and Hope for Survivors

    Posted on August 16, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Grief after suicide loss carries a unique weight of shock, guilt, and unanswered questions. Here’s why suicide bereavement is different, what genuinely helps survivors, and where to find support and hope.

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  • Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss: How to Grieve the Hidden Loss

    Posted on August 7, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Miscarriage and pregnancy loss carry a particular kind of grief: real, profound, and often hidden from the wider world. Here are 7 compassionate, therapist-tested ways to grieve a miscarriage and honor the love you carried for a baby who never came home.

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  • Broken Heart Syndrome: When Grief Physically Injures Your Heart

    Posted on August 6, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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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  • Crying and Grief: Why Tears Are Healing (And When They Stop)

    Posted on August 1, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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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  • Disenfranchised Grief: When the World Doesn’t Recognize Your Loss

    Posted on July 27, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Disenfranchised grief is loss that society doesn’t fully acknowledge — a pet, a miscarriage, an ex, an estranged parent. Here’s what disenfranchised grief means, why it’s so isolating, and why your grief is valid even when others don’t see it.

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  • Caregiver Grief: Mourning After a Long Illness or Caregiving Journey

    Posted on July 26, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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: When Loss Shakes or Deepens Your Beliefs

    Posted on July 25, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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: When You and Your Partner Grieve Differently

    Posted on July 24, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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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  • Talking to Children About Death: An Age-by-Age Guide for Bereaved Families

    Posted on July 13, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    Talking to children about death is one of the hardest conversations bereaved families face — and one of the most important. Here is an age-by-age guide to talking to kids about death, what language to use, and how to support grieving children of every age.

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  • Post-Traumatic Growth: How Grief Can Transform You

    Posted on July 9, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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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  • The Loneliness of Grief: Why You Feel So Alone (And What Actually Helps)

    Posted on June 29, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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: 8 Ways to Cope When the Holiday Hurts

    Posted on June 21, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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: When a Song, Smell, or Phrase Knocks You Sideways

    Posted on June 19, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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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  • Memorial Day After Loss: How to Honor Your Loved One Without Being Overwhelmed

    Posted on May 25, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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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  • Sibling Loss: Why Surviving Brothers and Sisters Are the Forgotten Grievers

    Posted on May 14, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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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  • Who Is Your Hero?  How Has Your Hero Influenced Your Life?

    Posted on May 12, 2026 - by Nan Zastrow

    “ I believe that our heroes in life change over time based on our values and maturity. We don’t cling to those who impressed us with their status. Instead, we align our vision with those who are authentic, reliable, and role models. However,  there may also be the unlikely, unclaimed hero who changes our life and  lives in our heart forever.” (Nan Zastrow)  A  year ago, in a support group meeting,  I shared the story of how the ®Wings organization began…in Memory after the death of our son, Chad. After the group, a man who was present came forward and […]

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  • Mother’s Day After Loss: 9 Compassionate Ways to Cope with Grief on a Tender Holiday

    Posted on May 10, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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 Grief Gets Stuck: Psychedelic Assisted Therapy, Ayahuasca, and the Ancient Work of the Soul

    Posted on May 6, 2026 - by Ken Breniman

    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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  • How to Help a Grieving Friend: 12 Things to Say (and 5 to Avoid)

    Posted on May 4, 2026 - by Heidi Horsley

    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 for Our Fallen Soldiers This Memorial Day

    Posted on May 26, 2025 - by Gloria Horsley

    Memorial Day is a day to stop and reflect on all those who have fought for our freedom and country. Across all types of wars and conflicts, they have been on the front lines, putting their courage to work on our behalf. Grieving a soldier is an important act. While we often miss these loved ones, Memorial Day is a special time to stop and remember them. Many people take this time to visit the graves of soldiers and pay their respects. It can be a solemn experience, but it can also be a positive one that reminds us of […]

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  • Father Pens 30th Birthday Message to Deceased Son

    Posted on March 8, 2025 - by Ron Villano

    Message to Deceased Son My son, Michael, was born 30 years ago today.  It would have been amazing to see what he would have looked like.   I often dream about what he would be doing with his life.  Married?  Kids?  Or…  still living at home?!? Well, he is still at home.  His stocking is on my fireplace at Christmas.  His picture is on the mantle and in my home office.  Michael is also at work, in my wallet, and on the internet.  His rap CD, just recently created from old cassette tapes,  is being heard by others for the first […]

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  • Daughter Feels Little Support for Mother-Loss

    Posted on March 5, 2025 - by Marty Tousley

    Question on Feeling Little Support for Mother-Loss Question: I tearfully happened upon your website by chance this morning.  My dearest friend, my mom, died in my arms this past month.  I had brought her here to live with me after her colon cancer returned. From the moment of diagnosis, I watched her hurt and endure so much treatment, never giving up, always smiling, always gentle, humble.  Since she died, I’ve received very little support from my husband or anyone else.   I joined an online grief group, but I do not feel as if I belong there.  My friends have faded […]

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  • To Lose a Twin

    Posted on March 4, 2025 - by Linda Pountney

    To Lose a Twin I was taken captive by life and death at the age of twenty-one. My identical twin sister Paula and I faced life together for twenty-one years. We never imagined life without the other. As twins, we had an unspoken pact to care for one another. When she died suddenly in a small plane crash, I questioned who I was in the world without her. Could I even function in life without my twin? Our losses are as unique and personal as our love. All bereavement experiences are different. For me, grieving for my sister came many […]

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  • Lucky Hat: Rituals Keep Parents’ Hope Alive

    Posted on February 27, 2025 - by Lisa Buell

    Rituals Keep Parents’ Hope Alive The double doors are closed to Three North at Stanford Children’s Hospital, where my daughter Madison is supposed to get her chemotherapy. It’s our second session, Maddy is seven months old sitting patiently in her stroller as I come up to the thick double doors. This is a very bad sign, these door being closed. Maybe Maddy shouldn’t get chemo today. These doors haven’t been closed before, something’s wrong. The hair stands up on my arms, a tingling sensation crawls up my back, sits on my head like a hat. My partner Nancy is down […]

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  • Dying in Prison: The Need for Hospice

    Posted on February 26, 2025 - by Symon Braun Freck

    Dying in Prison Today there are 1.9 million people incarcerated in the United States, with 1 out of 6 prisoners serving a life sentence (Sawyer and Wagner). While the sheer number of prisoners is concerning, so are the unethical practices, lack of resources, and dearth of rehabilitation opportunities endemic to the prison system. Substantial research supports the positive impact of rehabilitation programs for those with addiction and mental illness on the mitigation of mass incarceration. Nonetheless, most programs neglect one inevitable reality. What happens to those who are terminally ill and dying in prison? There is very little research on […]

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  • Widow Wonders Whether New Partner is Stuck in Grief

    Posted on February 26, 2025 - by Marty Tousley

    Is My New Partner Stuck in Grief? Question from reader: I am currently dating a widower who feels the need to publish a picture of his ex-wife in the local newspaper twice a year, on her birthday and date of death.  He has been doing this for five years.  We have been dating for four-and-a half-years.  My husband died suddenly of a heart attack just a month after my companion’s wife died following a two-year battle with colon cancer.  At this point, I’m not sure how I am tolerating these very public displays of grief. Would you be willing to […]

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  • Winter Grief Activities and Projects

    Posted on January 28, 2025 - by John Pete

    The long winter months can be especially confining, isolating and challenging when grieving a loss. But you can also engage in unique ways that will help you bear your loss. Here are some winter grief activities and projects (or for any time of year): start an indoor gardens/terrariums/terrarium memorial garden take up a new hobby/craft, learn new skills/enhance existing ones enroll in an online class (many are self-paced) write your autobiography or a biography about your loved one start a Blog (many free options with public/private settings) volunteer at church, care-facilities and non-profits plan and gather materials for spring projects give […]

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  • Ten New Year’s Eves: A Widow Remembers

    Posted on December 30, 2024 - by Katy Hutchison

    Ten New Year’s Eves December 31st has come and gone ten times since my husband Bob was murdered. While ringing in the New Year with friends, Bob left our dinner table to check on the home of a vacationing neighbor. It had become apparent no responsible adult was overseeing a party the neighbor’s teenaged son was throwing. Bob walked in on two hundred drunk and out of control youth. Within minutes he was dead, beaten to death by two young men angered by his efforts to shut things down. I was left a widow with four-year-old twins. The first year […]

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  • Synchronicity in Grief

    Posted on November 26, 2024 - by Mary Jane Hurley Brant

    What is Synchronicity in Grief? Have you ever had an experience where you said, “Wow, what a coincidence.”  Maybe it was more.  Maybe it was actually a “synchronicity.” Let me explain through a Jungian perspective. Carl Jung, the prominent Swiss psychiatrist, believed synchronicity meant “more than a coincidence.”  Jung, the thinker and founder of analytical psychology, connected synchronicities to the bigger world: the collective unconscious.  These were not just assumptions on his part. Jung believed the collective unconscious was universal (meaning common to all people) because he listened and researched for decades the overlapping stories and myths that people shared […]

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  • Death of a Sister: ‘Part of My Soul Has Left Me’

    Posted on November 13, 2024 - by Evan Rieger

    Death of a Sister I walk to your grave alone, in the cold demise of Fall.  It seems so much colder here without the comfort of knowing that you will be here to protect me in this life as you have so well.  The sky is white and endless.  The sun has been cloaked by the cryptic fog.  The leafless trees sway back and forth with the algid wind.  The ground is damp and dreary.  The world never seemed to be such a strong representation of death before you left me here, all alone. Oh, my elder sister, why have […]

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  • Surviving the Holidays After the Death of a Child

    Posted on November 8, 2024 - by Alice Wisler

    Surviving the Holidays After the Death of a Child That holiday-pang hit my stomach the first October after Daniel died. Greeting me at an arts and craft shop were gold and silver stockings, a Christmas tree draped with turquoise balls and a wreath of pinecones and red berries. What was this? And was “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” playing as well? It was only October. I had anticipated that Christmas and the holidays would be tough. In fact, I’d wake on those cold mornings after Daniel died in February and be grateful that it was still months until his […]

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  • Getting Through Halloween after Child’s Death

    Posted on October 30, 2024 - by Cathy Seehuetter

    Getting Through Halloween after Child’s Death On the evening I type this, the nip in the October air is a reminder that the major holidays are just around the corner. Halloween decorations have been in the stores since July and Christmas décor even as early as August. For those of us who are bereaved parents, siblings and/or grandparents this means the sooner they are “in our face” the longer we have the constant reminders that we will be facing the holidays without our child. Whether it is your first Halloween following your child’s death or years down the road, such […]

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  • Grieving Through the Holidays

    Posted on October 24, 2024 - by Catherine Tidd

    Grieving Through the Holidays I know I’m not the only one who is feeling the effects of the season. Grieving during “normal” times is a full-time job.  Throw in 2 or 3 holidays back-to-back and whatever milestones we might have in the middle…well…we’re all working on nervous breakdowns of epic proportions. I think one of the cruelest things about the holidays (and this may just be me) is that we’re dealing with something we used to look forward to so much. And it’s turned into something we can barely get through. My first Christmas without my husband was definitely the hardest.  […]

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  • How Does Twin Honor the Sister Who Died?

    Posted on August 19, 2024 - by Linda Pountney

    How Does Twin Honor the Sister Who Died? Gladys writes in: I just lost my twin sister three months ago to something we now know as Long QT syndrome. She was perfectly healthy and woke to check on her crying baby one morning and fell unconscious and never gained consciousness again. Our 30th birthday is this Sunday and I am wanting to do something special. Honestly, I wish that I could skip this birthday altogether. Do you have any ideas of how to honor her memory? Linda Pountney, vice president of Twinless Twins Support Group International, responds: Dear Gladys: Please […]

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  • Mother Maintains Contact with Deceased Son

    Posted on April 17, 2024 - by Sheri Perl

    Mother Loses Son to Addiction To all of my fellow parents of deceased children — mothers and fathers — I offer greetings.  I too have suffered this unthinkable loss and know the grief that accompanies it. My son, Danny, died on July 1, 2008, from an overdose of alcohol and prescription drugs, a death all too common in this day and age.  Shortly after he passed, I read that the incidence of deaths due to overdose has quadrupled in young people between the ages of 18 and 23.  Dan was right in there at 22. Needless to say, this has […]

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Open to Hope Radio

Open to Hope TV

  • Episode 257: Beyond the Shadows: Giving Voice to Sibling Grief

    Posted on December 13, 2025 - by admin

    The death of a sibling can be extremely difficult, yet society often minimizes this loss. Join host Dr. Heidi Horsley, with her guests Kim Burditt Bartlett and Zaneta Gileno to talk about sibling loss. Kim Burditt Bartlett is the Co-Founder of Sibling Strong Retreats. In 2010, Kim’s younger brother, Jon, died by suicide, forever changing her life. Kim serves as Senior Manager of Family Engagement for the Black Box Project at Stop Soldier Suicide, a groundbreaking initiative using digital data to better understand and prevent suicide. She previously worked at the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), where she’s created […]

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  • Episode 256: After the Last Goodbye: Navigating Life After Losing a Parent

    Posted on December 12, 2025 - by admin

    What does grief look like when the person who raised you is gone? Join host Dr. Heidi Horsley and her guests Zaneta Gileno and Kim Burditt Bartlett as they talk about grieving the death of a parent. When Zaneta Gileno was just 10 yrs. old her Dad died of a heart attack, and in 2023, her Mom died of lung issues. Zaneta has a private practice called Hope Rising Psychotherapy & Wellness. She is an adjunct professor at Columbia University, and currently serves as Senior Mental Health Advisor and Board Member for Repatriate Our Patriots. In addition, she previously worked […]

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