Loss of a Family Member

After Loss of a sibling

Do you feel your loss is overlooked? Find inspiration in stories by others who have lost siblings.

Open to Hope Radio

Articles

  • The Gift of Becoming a Grandmother

    Posted on August 12, 2024 - by Judy Lipson

    The Gift of Becoming a Grandmother In June, my youngest grandchild, Madelyn, named for my beloved sister Margie, turned one. Our family gathered to celebrated Madelyn’s first birthday. I am grateful to be “Nini” to three grandchildren–Benji, named for my father will be five in July, and Jake is eighteen months, and Madelyn, one. As I sat in the enclosed playpen area with Madelyn, Benji and Jake beaming watching the new innocent lives, broad smiles, the unconditional love. The seesaw of emotions from the devastating heartbreak of losing two sisters, my anchors, my foundation, the darkness, and now the lightness, […]

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  • Space to Heal: Finding Meaning after Loss

    Posted on May 20, 2024 - by Ilana Estelle

    Coping with the death of my twin has been an incredibly challenging and personal experience. Finding meaning and purpose in the aftermath has and continues to be a deeply personal journey. My writing helps. I offer these suggestions for individuals as they navigate their own loss. Give yourself space to heal It is important to give yourself permission to grieve in your way and at your own pace. By allowing yourself the space to heal, you can gradually find meaning and purpose as you move forward on your journey of healing and self-discovery. When it comes to exploring new passions […]

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  • When Grief Causes Mental Health Problems

    Posted on May 6, 2024 - by Ilana Estelle

    Grief support and mental health are deeply interconnected aspects of wellbeing. Grief is a natural response to loss, whether it’s the death of losing someone close, the end of a relationship, or any significant change or loss in one’s life. It is essential to recognise that there is no right or wrong to grieve and that grieving is a highly individual process. It is different for each of us. Prolonged or Intense Grief Prolonged or intense grief can impact mental health significantly. It can also lead to symptoms of depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”) in some cases. Seeking […]

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  • Soul and Grief Connection

    Posted on April 8, 2024 - by Ilana Estelle

    The soul and grief are deeply intertwined in many spiritual and philosophical traditions. It’s only natural that after someone dies, those they leave behind will start to question and want to find meaning. Grief can lead individuals to ask questions, prompting them to think about the nature of existence and the soul’s relationship with the material world. This journey, though difficult, can lead to profound insights and philosophical and spiritual growth, reshaping our understanding of life and death. BELIEVING IN THE AFTERLIFE  Believing in the afterlife can offer immense comfort to those grieving, providing a sense of continuation beyond physical […]

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  • Poem Eases Sister’s Pain

    Posted on March 25, 2024 - by Judy Lipson

    After our sister Jane’s death, Margie and I, working long retail hours, did not communicate very often. Although we did not speak about our loss, Margie sent me a poem she’d written. She eloquently expressed her feelings in it. Who has broken into our lives? Who has spoken to our brokenness? Who keeps breaking into our presence? We don’t have all the answers. We do have a lot of questions. We search in a world of bereft. Descent upon our hearts, for we need renewing away. We await your love and power to heal and bless. Refresh us now. Enlighten us […]

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  • Writing through Grief

    Posted on March 25, 2024 - by Ilana Estelle

    I write about grief to help me through the ‘grieving process’ after the loss of my twin. I hope it helps you too. Grief is complex; it’s based around individual experiences that people go through in response to loss. WRITING HELPS ME Writing helps me through the grieving process after the loss of my twin. It allows me to express how I feel, myself. The act of putting thoughts into words, I find is cathartic and healing. GRIEF IS NOT LINEAR It is important to be aware that grief is not a linear process. It does not have a defined […]

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  • Twins: Connected in Life and Death

    Posted on March 8, 2024 - by Linda Pountney

    Twins: Connected in Life and Death As a twin myself, the death of actor and identical twin Jon Hager was especially fascinating. Jon and Jim Hager co-starred in the old TV show, “Hee-Haw,” back in the 1970s. Jim died of a heart attack last year at just 66 years of age; Jon died at 67 on Jan. 9. It had been reported that Jon was depressed after his brother’s death; the cause of Jon’s death has not yet been determined. These nearly back-to-back deaths don’t surprise me. When the twin bond is broken, it leaves a bereft and broken twin. […]

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  • Grief Can Transform the Future

    Posted on March 4, 2024 - by Ilana Estelle

    Grief can throw a spanner in the works, but it can also bring acceptance and closure positively, so long as we’re honest with ourselves. Our experiences can distort our perception of the past. It can feel like our memories are no longer reliable, as grief colours everything with its darkness. A SPANNER IN THE WORKS  A spanner may throw our past into the works because the past isn’t always kind, so we alter how we perceive it. Loss can stop us in our tracks, and it can make us question the value and meaning of our experiences. Grief can make […]

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  • A Spiritual and Healing Journey

    Posted on February 26, 2024 - by Ilana Estelle

    Spirituality and healing around grief is inevitably an individual and personal journey, with no two people sharing the same experiences. While my interest in spirituality started in childhood, my spiritual and healing journey started in earnest some 13+ years ago when I set up my website, The CP Diary, following my Cerebral Palsy diagnosis, aged 46. Personal reflections capture the essence of spirituality and healing. It also highlights the personal nature of spirituality and its potential to accommodate healing on multiple levels—including the physical, emotional and spiritual level. It involves connecting with our inner-selves and being in tune with the […]

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Open to Hope TV

  • Episode 221: Navigating Children’s Grief

    Posted on July 15, 2024 - by admin

    Are you wondering how to connect with grieving children and help them navigate their grief?  Join host Dr. Heidi Horsley and her co-host Doneley Meris, along with guests Lindsey Whissel Fenton and Greg Adams, as they discuss tips and tools to support grieving children.  Doneley Meris is the Founder and Director of the HIV Arts Network and an adjunct faculty member at NYU and Hunter College. Lindsey Whissel Fenton is the creator of Speaking Grief and Learning Grief, and host of The Apologies Podcast.  She also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance for Childrens’ Grief.  Greg […]

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  • Episode 219: Mens Journey Through Grief

    Posted on June 10, 2024 - by admin

    Listen to four men speak very candidly about the different untimely losses in their lives, and how they took this often tumultuous journey through grief. Join hosts, Dr. Gloria Horsley and her daughter Dr. Heidi Horsley, along with their guests Stephen Panus, Warren Kozak, Jon Lefrandt, and Johnny Sirpilla.. Stephen Panus is the CEO of Twisted Hair, a marketing and P.R. Agency. He wrote the book “Walk On,” after the death of his 16 year old son. Warren Kozak, has been a journalist for some of televisions most respected news anchors, his book “Waving Goodbye: Life After Loss,” was written […]

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  • Episode 212: Embracing Hope Anew After Multiple Losses

    Posted on January 22, 2024 - by admin

      Discover hope amidst multiple losses with insights from Dr. Gloria Horsley, Dr. Heidi Horsley, Jennifer O’Brien, and Dr. Barbara Hopkinson. Explore their personal journeys of overcoming the initial belief that finding hope was impossible. Jennifer O’Brien, author of the award-winning book “The Hospice Doctor’s Widow: A Journal,” and Dr. Barbara Hopkinson, founder of “A Butterfly’s Journey,” a non-profit focusing on resilience after loss, share their experiences of ultimately finding hope despite initial doubts.

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