Prolonged grief disorder is a diagnosable condition in which intense grief persists and disrupts daily life more than a year after a loss. Here’s how it differs from typical grief, who is most at risk, and the treatments that genuinely help.
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Grief brain is the very real fog, forgetfulness, and trouble concentrating that follow a major loss. Here’s the science behind why your mind feels broken after grief, and how to be gentle with yourself while it heals.
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Grief isn’t only emotional — it takes a measurable toll on the body, from the heart to the immune system. Here’s what research reveals about grief’s physical effects and how to protect your health while you mourn.
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Anticipatory grief is the mourning that begins before a loss has happened, often during a loved one’s serious illness. Here’s why it’s normal, what it feels like, and how caregivers can carry it with more self-compassion.
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The widowhood effect is the measurable rise in a surviving spouse’s own risk of dying in the months after their partner’s death. Here’s what the research shows, why it happens, and how to protect your health while you grieve.
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Sibling loss is one of the most overlooked griefs there is — bereaved siblings are often called the “forgotten mourners.” Here’s why losing a brother or sister cuts so deep, and why your grief deserves to be seen.
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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 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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Miscarriage and pregnancy loss grief is real, profound, and too often suffered in silence. Here’s how common pregnancy loss is, why your grief is valid, and how to find support after losing a baby you longed for.
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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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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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Continuing bonds is the healthy, research-supported idea that we don’t have to “let go” of those we love to heal. Here’s what continuing bonds means, why sensing a loved one’s presence is normal, and how to stay connected.
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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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Grief and sleep problems go hand in hand — loss disrupts rest for the vast majority of grieving people. Here’s why grief wrecks your sleep, when to be concerned, and gentle, practical ways to rest again.
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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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Pet loss grief is real, valid, and sometimes as intense as losing a person. Here’s the science behind why losing an animal companion hurts so deeply, and how to grieve a beloved pet without shame.
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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 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 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 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 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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Before Bonnie’s death, I had never thought of myself as a caregiver. Husband, father, provider—yes. I used to tell Bonnie that what I wanted on my tombstone was: Good husband, good father. If I had accomplished that, I would be proud of the life I lived. I never imagined I’d make a very good caregiver. Not because I didn’t love Bonnie—quite the opposite. I simply didn’t see myself in that role. Nurses and doctors had gifts I didn’t believe I possessed. But love has a way of unlocking capabilities we never knew we had. When the woman I loved needed […]
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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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Losing a parent as an adult is one of the most common yet most minimized griefs there is. Here’s why it hits so hard, why the world often underestimates it, and how to grieve a mother or father without apology.
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We grieving people know a lot about collateral damage when someone we love dies. It’s not just the loss of the person in our lives, although that would be enough. There are other losses, too. Death doesn’t happen in a vacuum. While the death of our person may be the headline, there are other related stories and losses. Death doesn’t come alone and doesn’t leave empty-handed. Our grieving lives are like having a home that has clearly been robbed, but we don’t know what all is missing. It can take a long time to discover all the valuables that have […]
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How long does grief last? There is no fixed deadline, but research reveals clear patterns in how most people move through loss. Here’s what the science shows about grief timelines and why “getting over it” is the wrong goal.
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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 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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Delayed grief is when mourning arrives long after a loss — months or even years later, sometimes triggered by something small. Here’s why grief gets postponed, what commonly unlocks it, and why a late-arriving grief is still normal.
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Grieving teenagers often mourn in ways adults misread — through anger, withdrawal, or seeming indifference. Here’s how teens grieve, what they need, and how parents and caregivers can support a grieving adolescent.
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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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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 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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The door is easy to miss— a dim recess, knotted and coarse. He kept the room for a long time— some places are made of wood and plaster— this one is made of whatever people bring inside. People pass it every day already elsewhere. If you ask, he gives you the key. Not ceremoniously— just a small warmth from others who came before. The lock turns easily as though expecting them, and the two friends enter. To the first, the room offers nothing— white walls, corners meet in muted shadows, light without direction. She […]
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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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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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How do we help children navigate grief after the death of a parent or loved one? And what have we learned over the past 25 years? Join host Dr. Heidi Horsley for a candid conversation with Heloiza Asaro, Elizabeth Creel, and Carrie Pike about helping children and families live with loss, preserve memories, and find ways to move forward. Heloiza Asaro is the widow of FDNY firefighter Carl Asaro, who was killed in the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001. Left to raise their six children, Heloiza experienced firsthand the challenges of helping children grow up while grieving […]
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How do we understand bereaved children and support them after a loss? Join host Dr. Gloria Horsley, and her co-host and daughter Dr. Heidi Horsley, with their guests: Dr. Dan Wolfson, and Jordan Gross and learn techniques for helping children. Dr. Dan Wolfson is a licensed Clinical Psychologist, and the Senior Clinical Director of Experience Camps Adult Grief Retreat; he is an Adjunct Researcher and Professional Education Trainer at Columbia University’s Center for Prolonged Grief. Dr. Dan’s mother died of cancer when he was 18 yrs. old, and he is the author of; My Whole Grief. Jordon Gross is a […]
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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 […]
“A thoughtful, compelling, and deeply human novel.” -John O’Leary, bestselling author of On Fire and In Awe Grief opened the road. Love revealed the way. After the death of his only son shatters the life he once controlled, a fallen sports media executive follows a final message west, trading certainty for a road where grief becomes his guide. Each stranger he meets pulls him deeper into a sacred web of connection, culminating in an encounter with an enigmatic Cheyenne medicine woman who challenges everything he believes about loss and purpose. The Circles We Carry is a sweeping, luminous novel about how love does […]
The Price We Pay is a gentle, honest exploration of grief told through the lived experience of a support group — a place where vulnerability becomes connection, and connection becomes healing. Through my own story of loss, I invite readers to witness what it feels like to sit in a circle of people who are learning to breathe again after life has changed forever. Each chapter ends with tender, reflective questions designed to help readers pause, feel, and find language for what hurts. These questions aren’t instructions — they’re invitations. They create space for readers to meet their grief with […]
AFTER SURVIVAL: A Memoir of Choice, Consequence, and the Life That Followed traces Shane Neilsen’s life after a catastrophic brain injury at ten years old, through the relationships, decisions, and losses that shaped the decades that followed. Among those losses was the murder of his younger sister and only sibling, Michelle. Shane reflects on the grief and anger he carried, the role of faith in finding peace, and learning to remember his sister beyond the circumstances of her death. He also explores the loss of his father and the responsibilities of caring for his aging mother. With honesty, faith, and […]
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.
