Open To Hope Podcast – Open to Hope
Episodes
Organ Donation: Yie Foong, LMSW and Judy Armijo
17 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Yie Foong, LMSW is the family services outreach coordinator for LiveOnNY a nonprofit, dedicated to the recovery of organs and tissue for transplant in...
Finding A New Beginning: Rabbi Daniel A. Roberts
10 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Rabbi Daniel A. Roberts is currently Rabbi Emeritus at Temple Emanu El, and part-time Rabbi, at Temple Beth Israel in Sharon, PA. He has served as Cha...
Sister Loss: Jessica Church and Shane McCoin
03 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Jessica Church, nurse practitioner, and her sister Shane McCoin, attorney, lost their oldest sister to cancer at the age of 39. As a result of the tra...
Peter Lichtenberg: Spouse Loss
27 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Peter Lichtenberg is a clinical psychologist and professor at Detroit’s Wayne State University. Peter specializes in patients with geriatric iss...
Cindy Tart: Sibling Loss
20 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
After the death of her brother Dennis, Cindy became involved as a bereaved sibling participant in The Compassionate Friends. The support group helped ...
Supporting Bereaved Families: Kathleen and Kristina Fucci
13 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Kathleen Fucci is the mother of Kristina Fucci whose birth mother died of cancer. Marrying into a family with three children, and dealing with the dea...
Susanne Latessa: Healing Mind, Body and Spirit
06 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Susanne Latessa is a grief counselor, and educator, with a certificate in spiritual direction. She believes fully in the mind, body, and spirit connec...
Elisa Medhus and Kim Babcock: Death of A Son
29 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Elisa Medhus, MD practiced internal medicine for thirty years in Houston. After the death of her son, she began journaling her grief in her blog a...
Tanika Dillard: Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
22 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Tanika Dillard is passionate about breaking the silence of pregnancy loss. The best-selling author of Building a Family Breaks My Heart, she has exper...
Dr. Sandeep Vaishnavi, MD, PhD: Traumatized Brain: Coping with brain changes
15 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Sandeep Vaishnavi, MD, PhD, is the director of the neuropsychiatric Clinic at Carolina Partners. He is a neuropsychiatrist at the Preston Robert...
Judy Mandel: Replacement Child
08 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Judy Mandel is the replacement child born after her sister was killed in 1952, when American Airlines Flight 6780 crashed into her family’s New Jers...
Molly Gandour: Sibling Loss
01 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Molly Gandour is a documentary filmmaker and producer of the Academy Award-nominated documentary Gasland. She holds a B.A. from Brown University and i...
Molly Gandour: Sibling Loss
01 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Award-nominated documentary Gasland. She holds a B.A. from Brown University and is currently enrolled in an M.A. program at New York University. Her...
John A. Sarkett: Making Friends With The Unfriendly Through Music
25 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
John A. Sarkett is the author of twenty-five books. He has worked in public relations, marketing, television production and syndication, software, and...
Elizabeth Horwin: Keeping Love Alive
18 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Elizabeth Horwin is a Licensed Professional Counselor offering workshops, seminars and retreats to individuals, organizations and employers, dealing w...
Barry Kluger: Reform in the Wake of Loss
11 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Barry Kluger is a veteran public relations executive and writes for The Huffington Post and 165 CityBrand Media sites. He and fellow grieving Dad, Kel...
Barbara J. Hopkinson: Tips and Support For Those Who Grieve
04 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Barbara J. Hopkinson, founder of A Butterfly’s Journey To A New Normal and The Compassionate Friends of Greater Newburyport, MA, lost 3 children and...
Debbie Haine Vijayvergyia: Stillbirth
28 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In July 2011 Debbie Haine Vijayvergyia’s daughter, Autumn Joy, was stillborn. Since then Debbie has become a powerful advocate for stillbirth awaren...
Patrick Arbore: Helping Families Deal With Loss
21 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Patrick Arbore, Ed.D., is the founder and director of the Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention and Grief Related Services (CESP) a program of the...
Laura Diehl: Grieving Parents Sharing Hope
14 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Laura Diehl is an author, teacher, speaker, and founder of Crown of Glory Ministries. After the death of their oldest daughter, Laura and her husband,...
Bart Sumner: Through Grief to Laughter
07 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Bart Sumner is the founder of HEALING IMPROV, a nonprofit which provides no-cost Comedy Improv Grief Workshops to people struggling with grief. His so...
Charlene Cole: How Long will the Pain Last?
30 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Charlene Cole is no stranger to loss. Her only child Joe was killed over thirty years ago and in 1998 her husband died by suicide. Charlene has a mast...
Barbara Allen: Helping Families Deal With Drug Overdose
23 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Barbara Allen’s 22-year old son Jim overdosed on heroin and alcohol in 2003 after years of battling the disease of addiction. Barbara is the founder...
Bob Resciniti: Child Loss
16 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In 2006 Bob Resciniti lost his son Bobby in an automobile accident. As a result of his death, Bob and his wife Diane created “The Bobby Resciniti He...
Paula Stephens: Nurturing Ourselves After Loss
09 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Paula Stephens, M.A. founded Crazy Good Grief after the unexpected loss of her oldest son. With a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology, work as a ...
Jordon Ferber: Adult Sibling Grief: What Parents Need to Know
02 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Comedian Jordon Ferber is the producer of the podcast “Where’s the Grief” Inspired by the death of his brother, Russell. As the sibling leader o...
Carolyn Zahnow: Teenage Depression and Suicide
26 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Carolyn Zahnow is the bereaved parent of Cameron, who died by suicide in 2005. As the result of his death she is the founded the Shore Grief Center lo...
Claire Bidwell Smith: Where Do We Go After We Die
19 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Claire Bidwell Smith is a therapist specializing in grief and the author of The Rules of Inheritance and After This: When Life is Over Where Do We Go?...
Jill Harrington and Stefan Benkowski: Home; Hospice, Death of a Dad
12 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Jill Harrington, DSW is a counselor/researcher with over 16 years in the field of social work who recently helped care for her father through his end-...
Lindsey Wimmer, RN, MSN, CPNP, CPLC: Supporting Those Suffering a Stillbirth
05 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Lindsey Wimmer is the Executive Director of Star Legacy Foundation. She is a pediatric nurse practitioner,a nursing professor at St. Catherine Univers...
Living in a Wellness Universe: Lynda Fell
28 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Lynda Cheldelin Fell is the creator of Grief Diaries brand of books, webinars, radio and film, executive director of the National Grief & Hope Con...
Voices of September 11th
21 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Mary Fetchet co-founded Voices of September 11th in 2001 following the death of her son Brad on 9/11. A clinical social worker, she created a new para...
Rita Silverman and Abigail Brenner: Replacement Children
14 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Abigail Brenner M.D. is a board-certified psychiatrist, and a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Rita Battat Silverman has a B.S. in ps...
Pamela Christie: Loss of a Child and Grandchild
07 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Pamela Christie is a bereaved parent and grandmother. Her experience in not only losing her own child but in supporting her daughter, Rhiannon after t...
Kelly Kittel: Learning to Breathe Again
31 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly Kittel’s fifteen-month-old son was run over by her sixteen-year-old niece. Nine months later, due to medical error, she lost her baby, Jonah. ...
Ligia M. Houben : Transforming Your Life After Loss
24 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Ligia M. Houben, MA, FT, FAAGC, CPC, CHT, is the founder of My Meaningful Life, LLC and is the executive director of The Center of Transforming Lives,...
Beth Marshall and Tica Tallent : Overcoming the Loss of a Pet
17 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Tica Tallent and Beth Marshall understand that for many people, pets are family! And, when a family member dies, the grief is real. Tica’s new book,...
Barb Himes: Supporting Bereaved Parents
10 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Barb Himes is the bereaved parent of John Joseph and is the Director of Education and Training for First Candle. Barb has provided leadership in addre...
Brooke & Colin Smith
03 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In 2014, Brooke and Colin’s daughter, Kennedy, was delivered stillborn. After failed attempts in their local community to find pregnancy loss suppor...
Reducing Mental Health Stigma: Lee and Laurie Burstein Maxwell
25 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Lee and Laurie Maxwell lost their beloved 18 year old son, Dan to suicide after 18 months of severe depression. Grief stricken, they founded DMAX ...
Helping Children Deal With Loss : Marian Sokol
18 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Marian Sokol, Ph.D., MPH is the Executive Director of the Children’s Bereavement Center of Texas in San Antonio. Helping approximately 1000 children...
Honoring Our Son: Anne and Jeff Cascaldo
11 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Anne and Jeff Cascaldo’s 24yearold son Tony died due to a rare blood disease and a medical error. Anne and Jeff have gone on to honor Tony by st...
Remembering My Sibling and Child: Mitch Carmody
04 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Mitch Carmody is no stranger to loss. His father died when he was 12yearsold. His twin sister, Sandy died at thirty-five followed three months lat...
Moving Beyond Loss: Nancy Sharp
28 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Nancy Sharp is a Huffington Post blogger, author, and motivational speaker who inspires others to move beyond loss and setbacks. When life hands you t...
Turning Grief Into Creative Expression: Lauren Mascarella
21 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Lauren Mascarella founded MamaQuest in May 2010, four years after she lost her mother to breast cancer. Since starting Mama Quest, she has launched Tr...
Getting Through the Grief of Widowhood: Carol Brody Fleet
14 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In 2000, Carole Brody Fleet lost her beloved husband Mike after a two-year battle with ALS. At age 40 she was on her own raising an 11-year-old daught...
Dream Work: Carla Blowey
07 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Carla Blowey is a bereaved mother of 24 years, a certified dream work facilitator, presenter, and author of Dreaming Kevin: The Path to Healing. Carla...
Death of a Fiancé: Ann-Marie Attaie
31 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Anne-Marie Attaie lost her fiancé Michael to a sudden and unexpected heart attack in the summer of 2000. With his death she came to understand the ...
Holiday Radio Show with Dr. Heidi and Dr. Gloria Horsley and Alan Pedersen
24 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Alan Pedersen, Executive Director of The Compassionate Friends and Dr. Heidi and Dr. Gloria Horsley of the Open to Hope foundations share tips and hop...
Cancer Care, Providing Free Grief Support: Bill Goeren
17 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Bill Goeren is an LCSW and director of clinical services at CancerCare, He is the co-author of the chapter Unique Issues Confronting Gay, Lesbian, and...
Don’t Let Grief Define Your Life: Maria Caso
10 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Maria Caso is a compelling speaker, certified life coach, grief recovery specialist and suicide survivor. She masterfully guides her clients to re...
Writing Your Way Through Grief: Janet Burroway
03 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Janet Burroway is the author of plays, poetry, children’s books, and eight novels including The Buzzards, Raw Silk, Opening Nights, and the Bridge o...
Mary Fetchet: Long-term Services for Victims’ Families
01 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Mary Fetchet is the co-founded Voices of September 11th in 2001 following the death of her son Brad on 9/11. A clinical social worker, she created a...
Coping with Life Threatening Illnesses: Bruce Postman
26 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Bruce Postman has directed over 40 documentaries, many award winning, about coping with life threatening illnesses. He has worked with Cancervive, Leu...
Grief to Grace : Mary Potter Kenyon
19 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Mary Potter Kenyon is the author of three books. Her most recent is Refined by Fire: A Journey of Grief and Grace, which details her process of grief ...
Family Lives On: Christine Cavalieri
12 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Cavalieri is the Executive Director of Family Lives On with the mission of supporting the lifelong emotional well being of children whose mother...
Military Loss and Support: Zaneta Gileno
05 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Zaneta M. Gileno LCSW is the Director of Community Based Care for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors of military loss (TAPS). She is the lia...
Elaine Mansfield: Death of a Husband Guest
29 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Elaine Mansfield leads workshops and bereavement support groups and writes for Hospice and Palliative Care of Tompkins County in Ithaca, NY. Her writi...
David Zeigler: Dealing With Loss Through Film Making
22 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
David Zeigler, a Guggenheim Fellow, has been making documentary films for twenty years. His first narrative feature, Sweet Old World, is drawn from ...
Dr. Gloria Horsley and Alan Petersen: Don’t Let Loss Cripple Your Spirit
15 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Gloria Horsley president of the Open to Hope Foundation and Alan Petersen executive director of The Compassionate Friends discuss their grief jour...
Judy Lipson: Death of a Sibling
08 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Judy Lipson lost her sister Jane at age 22 in 1981 in an automobile accident, and sister Margie at age 35 in 1990. Judy suppressed her grief for 30 ...
Joanne Cacciatore Ph.D.: Traumatic Loss
01 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Joanne Cacciatore is currently a professor at Arizona State University. Her area of expertise is traumatic death, specifically child death, and sh...
Humor and grief: Jordon Ferber
24 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Jordon Ferber is a 14 year veteran of the New York comedy scene, as well as being a bereaved sibling. He has been seen on NBC’s Last Comic Standin...
A Double Loss: Death of a Daughter and Stepson: Cathy Seehuetter
17 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Cathy Seehuetter is a Certified Grief Service Provider and the bereaved parent of Nina and stepson Chris . Cathy serves as the Minnesota Regional Co...
Life After Death: Sandra Chaplain
10 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Sandra Champlain’s fear of dying led her on a 15-year journey to find proof that life after death is real. After a family loss she authored ...
Celebrating a Life With Music: Anna Huckabee Tull
03 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Anna Huckabee Tull is an award-winning Singer-Songwriter/Composer, accomplished Psychologist and a life coach. People from all over the planet commiss...
Annette Childs: Spiritual Experiences and Grief
27 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Annette Childs holds a Ph.D. in psychology and is a licensed psychotherapist. She is the author of three award-winning books. As a researcher she ha...
Dale Larsen Ph.D.: Facing Grief and Loss
20 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Dale G. Larson, Ph.D., is the bereaved sibling of Dickie and a Professor of Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University. He is a Fulbright Scholar...
Scott and Julia Starkey: Founders of Aware, Awake, Alive
13 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
On December 2, 2008, following a fraternity hazing ritual, Julia and Scott Starkey’s son Carson died of acute alcohol poisoning. Following his death...
Dianne Gray: Hard Choices: Living with the decision to remove life support.
06 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Dianne Gray is the bereaved parent of Austin, and President and founder of Hospice and Healthcare Communications and the Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Founda...
Infertility, Miscarriage, and Neonatal Loss: Amy Wenzel
30 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Amy Wenzel is a clinical psychologist who divides her time between clinical practice, scholarly writing and research, and training and consultatio...
John Brooks: Suicide: Trying to Understand
23 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
John Brooks lost his adopted daughter, Casey to suicide at the Golden Gate Bridge in 2008. She was 17. A senior financial executive in the media indus...
Neal Raisman: Finding Hope After Child Loss
16 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Neal Raisman lives in Columbus, Oh where his surviving daughter, two grandchildren and son-in-law live. He is a consultant to colleges and univers...
Finding Hope After Child Loss: Sukey Forbes
09 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Sukey Forbes is the founder and president of an art, antiques, and interior design company and a blogger for The Huffington Post. She is the author of...
Recovering From Traumatic Stress Guest: Bessel van der Kolk
02 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk is a psychiatrist, founder and medical director of the Trauma Center in Boston, Mass and is a professor in the department of p...
Darcy Bellows Mascorro : Sharing Spiritual Gifts and Knowledge
25 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
After the tragic loss of her beloved husband to be, Vern, Darcy embarked on a side career as paranormal investigator. She is a co-founder of the Light...
Miriam Greenspan: The Wisdom of Grief
18 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Psychotherapist and author Miriam Greenspan was born in a displaced-persons camp in southern Germany shortly after World War II. She is the mother of ...
Christopher Jones: Mitchell’s Journey a Personal Story of Reflection and Discovery
11 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Christopher Jones is the author of Mitchell’s Journey, a Facebook blog which has nearly 300,000 followers. Chris began the blog a few years prior to...
Wendy Resnick: Bereavement Groups: Can they help?
04 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Wendy Resnick works as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Psychiatric Nursing. She specializes in Group Leader Training and is a trainer and consultant fo...
When Grief Won’t Heal: Phyllis Kosminsky
28 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Phyllis Kosminsky, PhD is a clinical social worker in private practice and at the Center for Hope in Darien, Connecticut. Her work focuses on grief, l...
Phyllis Kosminsky:
28 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Phyllis Kosminsky, PhD is a clinical social worker in private practice and at the Center for Hope in Darien, Connecticut. Her work focuses on grief, l...
Finding Joy Again After Loss: Beth Marshall
22 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Beth Marshall is a contributing writer for the Open to Hope Foundation, and the author of two grief-related journals. Her newest book, Grief Survivor~...
Finding Joy Again After Loss: Beth Marshall
21 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Beth Marshall is a contributing writer for the Open to Hope Foundation, and the author of two grief-related journals. Her newest book, Grief Survivor~...
Simple Tools for Managing Stress: Barbara Schmidt
14 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Barbara Schmidt is founder of Peaceful Mind Peaceful World, a community outreach program through Florida Atlantic University promoting dialogue in the...
Culture and Grief: Ethel Gardner
07 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Ethel Gardner is the President of the board of the Kennedy Austin foundation located in Pomona, California. In 1992 she lost her only son, Damon J. Jo...
Death of a Husband: Elaine Mansfield
30 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Elaine Mansfield leads workshops and bereavement support groups and writes for Hospicare and Palliative Care of Tompkins County in Ithaca, NY Her writ...
Alternative Healing After Loss: Karen Noe
23 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Karen Noe is a renowned New Jersey-based psychic medium, spiritual counselor, and healer. She is the founder of the Angel Quest Center in Ramsey NJ, w...
Growing From Life’s Disappointments: Harriet Hodgson
16 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance writer for more than 36 years. She is the author of 33 published books, including eight grief resources. Her late...
Creating a Grieving Sanctuary: Alexandra Kennedy MA MFT
09 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Alexandra Kennedy MA MFT is a psychotherapist and author of Honoring Grief: Creating a Space to Let Yourself Heal, Losing a Parent, The Infinite Threa...
Writing Through Losses: Neil Chethik
02 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Neil Chethik is the author of the book, FatherLoss: How Sons of All Ages Come to Terms With the Deaths of Their Dads. He is the articles editor of the...
Assisted Suicide and Grief: Dr. Robert Liner
26 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Robert Liner is a graduate of Stanford University, Honors in Humanities, and the University of Rochester Medical School. He practiced and taught o...
Continuing Bonds After Death: Brittany Trauthwein
19 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Brittany Trauthwein M.A. specializes in grief and loss and end of life matters. Her research was influenced by her own grief journey after the loss of...
AIDS and Grief : Doneley Meris
12 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Doneley Meris Grief Psychotherapist and Training Educator, is the founder and executive director of HIV Arts Network. He is adjunct faculty at New Yor...
AIDS and Grief: Doneley Meris
12 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Doneley Meris Grief Psychotherapist and Training Educator, is the founder and Executive Director of HIV Arts Network. He is adjunct faculty at New Yor...
Grief Support: Lori Chinitz
05 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Lori Chinitz is a Healing From the Core Certified Instructor, and Physical Therapist. Lori’s strengths as an instructor and practitioner flow ou...
Healing Through Grief: Sherry Cassedy
26 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Sherry Cassedy, JD, MA, has practiced law and mediation for 29 years and currently has a mediation and private judging practice in Palo Alto, CA. Sh...
Celebrate Your Life: Faith Freed
19 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Faith Freed holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology and spiritual guidance from The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. Faith is the aut...
Spirituality and Grief: Lisa Irish
12 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Lisa Irish is no stranger to loss. At age 2, her mother’s paralyzing car accident changed a normal childhood. At 11, her father died, and at 25, her...
How the British Grieve: Kellie Hazlett
05 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Kellie Hazlett is an American living in London who holds a Bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism, a certificate as a Respiratory Therapist, and a M...
Teen Grief and the Internet: Ilene Cupit
29 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Illene Noppe Cupit is a Professor of Human Development at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She teaches Dying, Death & Loss and recently ...