Loss of a Family Member

After Loss of a spouse

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Articles

  • Holding On, Letting Go After Husband’s Death

    Posted on November 20, 2023 - by Harriet Hodgson

    What I Let Go Of After my husband died, I had to decide what to let go of and what to hold onto. I let go of John’s companionship. John and I enjoyed each other, were honest with each other, and most importantly, listened to each other. After conversing with him for years about a wide range of topics—everything from saving whales, to changes in  political parties, to child Advance Review Copy Uncorrected Proof 144 Winning development—I didn’t have anyone to talk to. The apartment was silent. I remembered past conversations and yearned to have new conversations with him. I let […]

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  • Widower Honors Both Deceased Wives

    Posted on November 20, 2023 - by Peter Lichtenberg

    Peter A. Lichtenberg, PhD was inducted into the Radnor High School Hall of Fame on Friday, November 10, in Radnor, Penn. Peter was honored for his work and impact on the field of gerontology and especially in helping to understand, aid victims of, and prevent financial exploitation of older people. He lost his wife Becky at age 25 to a sudden death and his wife Susan at 55 to breast cancer. Life Achievement Honor Feels Great It was four days of excitement, sharing, exploring, honoring, reflecting, and enjoying so much being “home”— at Radnor High School, with my brother, in Philadelphia. […]

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  • Widowed Parent Has Extra Struggles

    Posted on October 23, 2023 - by Jenny Lisk

    Widowed Parents If you’d spotted us — four women in our 40s, laughing, chatting, and drinking wine — you’d be forgiven for assuming we were merely busy parents, stressed-out professionals, or middle-aged girlfriends enjoying a quick getaway from the demands of everyday life. We were, in fact, all of those things. We were also widows. In that charming tasting room in the Bavarian-inspired village of Leavenworth, Washington, I think we shocked the sommelier when, by way of making conversation, she inquired how we knew one another. The only answer we could muster was an unthinkable one: that each of our […]

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  • Why Do I Feel Worse Now Than I Did Right After My Husband Died?

    Posted on October 9, 2023 - by Melinda Richarz Lyons

    The Shock of a Sudden Death Grief counseling was invaluable to me after I lost my husband, Sid. He was only 56 and died very suddenly. There were so many feelings during the grief process that seemed to come out of nowhere. Of course it didn’t make my loss less painful, but just having my feelings validated seemed to help a tiny bit. In our group session one night, our counselor explained the difference between a sudden loss and an anticipated loss. In an anticipated loss, it is as if you are standing on a beach and you see a […]

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  • Widow Fears Sharing Thoughts of Suicide

    Posted on October 1, 2023 - by Marty Tousley

    Widow Fears Sharing Thoughts of Suicide Question from a Reader I know I’ve heard plenty of times that it is normal for ‘grievers’ to feel despondent and wish to be with their spouse who has passed on. But, it doesn’t feel like it’s normal to me because I don’t want to live any more, although I am not going to do anything to harm myself. In fact, I am on a healthy food plan and I am doing whatever it is I need to do to live from one day to the next. I stay in for days at a […]

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  • When a Parent Starts Dating: The Role of Adult Children

    Posted on September 11, 2023 - by Mike Bernhardt

    Dating After a Spouse-Loss Our society has so many expectations for us after our spouse has died. We should grieve—depending on the expectations of our friends, religious traditions, or workplace expectations—for anywhere from a few weeks to many years. The reality of course is that we will grieve for however long we will grieve. The world might forget that we lost the love of our lives; but we don’t. Our friends, even family members, might encourage us to move on before we are ready because they need us to move on. Contrarily, if we feel ready to build a new […]

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  • Widower Keeps Both Wives’ Memories Alive

    Posted on August 5, 2023 - by Peter Lichtenberg

    Widower Keeps Wives’ Memories Alive In 2022, Dr. Sara Hackett published a paper describing how widows and widowers continue to depend on their romantic partners after those partners have died.  Even many years after the death, Dr. Hacket reported, the deceased spouse continues to play a major role in life of the surviving partner. Those findings hit so close to home for me. I was widowed for the first time 38 years ago at age 25, and for the second time 9 years ago at age 55. My late partners, Becky and Susan, remain so much a part of my […]

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Open to Hope TV

  • Episode 207: From Grief to Peace

    Posted on November 13, 2023 - by admin

    Does moving from grief to peace after a loss feel impossible?  Join Dr. Heidi Horsley, and her guests’ Heather Stang, Dr. Wendy Lichtenthal, and Gina Moffa, as they discuss how to move from grief to peace after a loss.  Heather Stang’s book From Grief to Peace, was the inspiration for this show.  She is also the author of Mindfulness & Grief, and hosts the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast.  Dr. Wendy Lichtenthal is a psychologist and Director of the Center for the Advancement of Bereavement Care at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.  She has been at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center […]

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  • Episode 206: Making Meaning After Loss

    Posted on November 13, 2023 - by admin

    Have you ever wondered how to make meaning after a loss?  Join Dr. Heidi Horsley, and her guests’ Dr. Wendy Lichtenthal, Gina Moffa, and Heather Stang as they discuss meaning making, and what it actually is.  Dr. Wendy Lichtenthal is a psychologist and Director of the Center for the Advancement of Bereavement Care at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.  She has been at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center since 2005, and her federally-funded research was the inspiration behind this show about meaning making.  Gina Moffa is a licensed psychotherapist, who authored the book, Moving on Doesn’t Mean Letting Go: A […]

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  • Episode 205: Moving on Doesn’t Mean Letting Go

    Posted on November 13, 2023 - by admin

    Are people telling you that in order to move on after a loss, you have to let go? Join Dr. Heidi Horsley, and her guests’ Gina Moffa, Heather Stang, and Dr. Wendy Lichtenthal, as they discuss healthy ways to stay connected with those we have loved and lost. Gina Moffa is a licensed psychotherapist, whose book, Moving on Doesn’t Mean Letting Go: A Modern Guide to Navigating Loss, was the inspiration for this show. Heather Stang, is the author of Mindfulness & Grief and the guided journal, From Grief to Peace, and hosts the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast. Dr. Wendy […]

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