Dr. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley

Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley are a mother/daughter team and internationally recognized grief experts. They are the founders of The Open to Hope Foundation and the hosts of The Open to Hope Show. In addition, Dr. Gloria is a board member for The Compassionate Friends and Dr. Heidi is an adjunct professor at Columbia University and has a private practice in manhattan. Their message is that others have made it through the grief journey and so can you, if you do not yet have hope lean on theirs.

Articles:

Grief Tips from an Ayurveda Practitioner

In a recent episode of Open to Hope Conversations, Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley welcomed Dr. Shweta Vikram, an international speaker, best-selling author, and Ayurvedic practitioner. Dr. Vikram shared valuable insights on coping with grief and loss, drawing from her personal experiences and professional expertise. A Journey Through Loss Dr. Vikram’s connection to grief and loss runs deep. Her early experiences with the loss of her grandfather and aunt shaped her understanding of grief. Later, she faced the profound loss of both her father and father-in-law within two days of each other, which became the inspiration for her […]

Dealing with ‘What if’ Questions

What If Questions After a Loss A loved one has died. Even if you knew their death was eminent, you’re in total shock. You feel sad, anxious, and confused. Before death knocked on your door, you had some control over life. Now life seems out of control. Worse, you have more questions than answers. Many are “What if” questions. What would have happened if I and been better prepared? What if I had better coping skills? And what if I had responded differently to death? From What If to What Questions Questions like these are usually associated with the past. […]

Quiet Times Help Grievers During the Holidays

The holidays are exciting, a time of sparkling lights, special music, family traditions, and giving gifts. But holidays are also challenging for the bereaved. Without your loved one, holidays aren’t the same and never will be. The good news is that quiet times help grievers during the holidays. You may not want to be quiet. You may instead choose distraction, and rush from one activity to the next. Consciously or subconsciously, you know staying busy helps you avoid painful feelings. No matter how much you rush, however, grief is your shadow, and follows you everywhere. While you can’t avoid grief, […]

Setting Grief Healing Goals

For many, the arrival of a New Year means making resolutions. Resolutions and goals are similar, yet they are different. A resolution is supposed to be a firm decision, whereas a goal is something you aim for and work toward. If you are grieving this year, how about setting grief healing goals? Goals are a bright idea at this dark time of life. Your goals don’t have to be huge; they just need to exist. Maybe your goal is to make it to the next minute. After you’ve done that, your goal is to make it to the next […]

Trauma Treatments During Grief

Dr. Gloria Horsley and her daughter, Dr. Heidi Horsley, discuss trauma treatments in their 49th Open to Hope Foundation episode. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk of the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute and a professor at Boston University, and Dr. David Fajgenbaum of The Bone and Joint Surgery Clinic join Drs. Horsley to discuss how treating traumas is unique. “Trauma overwhelms the human organism,” says Dr. van der Kolk. Trauma therapy is a means of treating the whole body, with the understanding that a person has been through something that is wholly overwhelming. When Dr. Gloria Horsley shared a […]

Shame and Grief: Interview with Jeffrey Kauffman

At the annual ADEC (Association of Death Education and Counseling), I spoke with Jeffrey Kauffman about shame after grief and how complicated grief can be the result of the shame. Jeffrey is the author of a book called “The Shame Of Death, Grief, and Trauma.” Shame is a topic a lot of people shy away from, but the truth is there’s a lot of shame involved in grief. In the video below, Jeffrey explains how we can move through the shame and heal. Here are some key takeaways from the video: Shame is the biggest hidden emotional factor is people’s […]

Video: Supporting Cops and their Families in Grief

Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley talk to the Dennis Jones, the Executive Director of Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) in the 44th episode of The Open to Hope Foundation show. They also discuss this issue with Anthony (Babe) Muro, who’s an avid supporter of the police community. COPS is committed to helping families and individuals of loved ones who have fallen in the line of duty. Gloria’s father was a policeman and a military member, so she has always had a soft spot for police departments. Jones is a former police officer of the NYPD for 25 years, and after […]

Webinar: How Do I Know If It’s Grief or Depression?

This webinar features Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley talking about grief vs. depression with Dr. Howard Winokuer. As the co-founder of TO LIFE, a non-profit that offers education and counseling to those struggling with loss, he knows all too well that there are blurred lines. Dr. Winokuer has helped thousands of people along their grief journey, offering seminars and workshops around the country (and in nine international locations). A popular author and speaker, he notes that sometimes grief and depression can cross lines. However, there are some big differences. For starters, grief is the interpersonal experience of handling a loss […]

Is There Such a Thing as Closure After a Loss?

Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley with the Open to Hope Foundation discuss continuing bonds and closure after loss. At 17 years old, Heidi’s brother Scott was killed in a car accident. Everyone told her and her mother that they would “get over it” eventually and find closure. Know that closure isn’t for love accounts—it’s for bank accounts. You can and should get over the suffering, but getting over the loss can feel like erasing someone from your life. Instead, you can transform your grief into actions that can positively change the world. The mother-daughter team created the Open to Hope […]

Webinar: Healing After a Fatal Car Accident

The Compassionate Friends, the Open to Hope Foundation, and Carl McDonald, the National Law Enforcement Initiatives Manager for MADD, offer a special webinar on grieving after losing a child due to a driving under the influence (DUI) incident. Drs. Heidi and Gloria Horsley, the hosts, lost a loved one to a DUI crash—Gloria’s son and Heidi’s brother, Scott, was killed in a car crash. They met McDonald at The Compassionate Friends years ago, and were inspired by his ability to find hope after losing his daughter. McDonald’s ex-wife was an alcoholic, and that was the primary cause of their divorce. […]

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.