Grief | Grieving | Death of a Child

Earlier this week the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention asked General Motors to pull an advertisement and cease any further promotion and marketing of an ad, which featured a GM factory robot who gets laid off, becomes depressed and then makes a suicide attempt.

This morning our Foundation had several constructive conversations with GM Executives, and I am pleased to announce that GM has decided to pull the ad, including plans to air it on upcoming television programs and on the company’s website.

GM has indicated that they will be revising the ad, removing the scene with the suicide attempt and any implication of suicide before re-releasing the ad in the future.

AFSP and GM have issued a joint statement about the company’s decision and our support of it.

AFSP applauds General Motors for taking these actions.  It is difficult to find organizations that listen. GM did by responding to the concerns of those touched by mental illness and suicide.

Thank you to everyone who joined with us in expressing concerns about the ad. 

Our collective actions have raised awareness, and will help make our country more sensitive to the issues of mental illness and suicide.

Bob Gebbia
Executive Director
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Dear Fellow Travelers,
 
The premiere of the documentary, “Space Between Breaths” will be Thursday, May 31, 2007 at the Kentucky Theatre, 214 East Main Street, Lexington, KY.  It will be at 7:00 pm.  This premiere is by invitation only.  The tickets are free, but you must get them ahead of time by contacting Luther & Rosemary Smith, P.O. Box 346, Beattyville, KY  41311, or emailing them at Childrenofdome@cs.com or calling their office, 606-464-3901.  The Smiths will be sending you a personal invitation if they have your correct mailing address.  This is really “big time” and we want everyone to come and support Luther and Rosemary.  The documentary is open to others besides our fellow travelers, but they must have a ticket also.  Please, no children, this is not a documentary for them. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Friend of GriefWorks,

As the New Year gets underway, I want to remind you that GriefWorks is offering a six-week “Family Night Series” from 6:15-8:15 p.m., beginning January 18. Families will begin the evening together with a light dinner (which is provided) and a brief introduction. Then we will divide into groups for parents, teens, and children. In a supportive environment and using age-appropriate activities, family members will have the opportunity to share and work through their grief. Then we will conclude the evening by bringing all the family members back together for a brief summary of the evening. (link to Winter Schedule)

The cost for the entire six-week series is $90 per family, which helps cover a portion of our expenses. (Reduced fees and time payments are available if needed.)

Also, on January 23, we will start a six-week daytime “Grief Talk” support group for adults. This group will meet at the GriefWorks office from 10-11:30 a.m. The cost is $20 per session (some financial assistance is available if needed).

If you or someone you know could benefit from either of the “Family Night Series” or the “Grief Talk” adult support group, please call our office (253) 334-9420 or (800) 850-9420. For more information, see the attached list of Programs and Services for Winter/Spring 2007. Thank you!

Sincerely,
Gwen Waller
Bereavement Facilitator
Phone: 253-333-9420
E-mail: gwen@griefworks.org

www.griefworks.org

The mission of GriefWorks is to serve as a bereavement resource providing education and support for people grieving a death or seeking to understand the grief process.

Time Magazine �100 Innovators: The Next Wave� Byron Katie to be interviewed by �Healing the Grieving Heart� Hosts, Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley on January 11th, 2007.

New York, New York and San Francisco, California � Nationally renown author, speaker and motivator Byron Katie will join Drs. Gloria & Heidi Horsley on their nationally syndicated talk radio program �Healing the Grieving Heart� January 11th, 9 AM PST/12 Noon EST.

�Our audience is ecstatic about Katie joining us to talk about The Work and her upcoming book A Thousand Names for Joy. Her message of self-inquiry and hope have helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world dealing with a variety of issues in their lives, and is an especially important

Byron Katie lived an “ordinary American life,” until her late thirties, when she began to suffer from depression and anxiety. Her condition worsened until she found it difficult get out of bed, relate to her family, or work. Then one day, without apparent cause, she had a life-changing experience. In her words, “I saw clearly, irrevocably, that everything was backward, upside down from what I believed. My thinking had opposed everything as it truly was and reacted with stories of how I thought it should be. “My husband should be more honest.”

“My children should respect me more.” Now I saw that instead of seeing what was happening, I was placing conditions on what was happening - as if I had the ability to dictate reality.

It was clear to me now that the truth was the extreme opposite. My husband should not be more honest - because he wasn’t. My children shouldn’t respect me more - because they didn’t. Instantly I became a lover of reality. I noticed that this felt more natural, more peaceful.”

She has developed a method of self-realization based on this experience which she teaches at workshops and seminars around the world. Throughout North America and Europe, Byron Katie International offers free events in which Katie does The Work with as many audience members as time allows. It also offers two-day intensives and the nine-day School for The Work with Byron Katie. The Work of Byron Katie Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides educational materials free to all who request them and sponsors the training of educators, therapists, and prison-workers.

She is not aligned with any particular religion or tradition. Byron Katie is married to the poet and translator, Stephen Mitchell, who co-authored her first book, “Loving What Is.”

Dr. Heidi Horsley herself is a bereaved sibling whose 17 year old brother, Scott died in an automobile accident when she was 20 yrs. old. Currently she is an adjunct professor teaching several graduate courses at Columbia University’s School of Social Work, including Intervention for Grief, Loss and Bereavement. In addition, she works with families that lost a firefighter in the World Trade Center attacks.

Dr. Horsley co-hosts the nationally syndicated �Healing the Grieving Heart� radio show, broadcast on local radio stations and syndicated live every Thursday 9 AM PST � 12 Noon EST and is rebroadcast on The VoiceAmerica Health and Wellness Network. The show can be accessed at http://www.thegriefblog.com .

About Dr. Heidi Horsley

Dr. Horsley, PsyD, MSW holds a doctorate degree in Psychology from the University of San Francisco, a masters degree in social work from Columbia University and a masters degree in mental health counseling from Loyola University in New Orleans. Dr. Horsley is an adjunct professor at Columbia University and a Psychologist and co-investigator for the FDNY-CSU/ Columbia University Family Guidance Program assisting families of 9/11.

Dr. Horsley currently lives in New York City with her husband and two children.

About Dr. Gloria Horsley

Dr. Gloria C. Horsley, PHD, MFT, CNS is a bereaved parent, and has worked in the field of family therapy for over twenty years. She holds graduate degrees from the University of Rochester, Syracuse, Greenwich and Holos Universities.

Dr. Gloria serves The Compassionate Friends (www.thecompassionatefriends.org) in a number of roles, including as a Board Director. She frequently serves as a media spokesperson for TCF in her dual role as a bereaved parent and professional. Dr. Horsley has a strong commitment to the education and the betterment of the world.

Dr. Horsley resides in San Francisco, California, with her husband Phil. They have three daughters and ten grandchildren.

Contact:

Dr. Heidi Horsley
415-994-8263
http://www.thegriefblog.com
heidi@thegriefblog.com

Recipient of 2003 Pediatric Nursing�s Humanitarian Award to be interviews by �Healing the Grieving Heart� Hosts, Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley on November 30, 2006.

New York, New York and San Francisco, California (PRWEB) November 26, 2006 � Deborah Dokken, MPA, co-investigator with The Initiative for Pediatric Palliative Care (IPPC) will join Drs. Gloria & Heidi Horsley on their nationally syndicated talk radio program �Healing the Grieving Heart� November 30th, 9 AM PST/12 Noon EST.

�End of life care and anticipatory grief are so important to our audience. You can�t ever really prepare for losing a child, but you can educate yourself about the process, the resources available and hopefully ease the strain on everyone involved. We feel fortunate to have one of the country�s foremost experts joining us on this important topic,� said Dr. Heidi Horsley, co-host of Healing the Grieving Heart.
Since the losses of two infants and the premature birth of her son, Jeremy, Ms Dokken has been involved for several years in programs and projects to improve family support and family participation in health care. Ms. Dokken was the co-founder of a nonprofit community-based organization, Partners in Intensive Care, and was a founding member of the Parent Partners Group in the neonatal intensive care unit at The George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Read the rest of this entry »

New York, New York and San Francisco, California — November 20, 2006 � Joy Johnson, co-founder of the Centering Corporation, America�s largest bereavement Resource Center will join Drs. Gloria & Heidi Horsley on their nationally syndicated talk radio program �Healing the Grieving Heart� November 23rd, 9 AM PST/12 Noon EST.

�The holidays can be a tough time for anyone grieving the loss of a family member or someone dear to them. We�re looking forward to Joy sharing her thoughts and insights into some of the many resources available to families and individuals coping with loss this time of year,� commented Dr. Heidi Horsley, co-host of Healing the Grieving Heart. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Lawrence Calhoun and Dr. Richard Tedschi, Professors of Psychology at UNC Charlotte, and authors of The Handbook of Posttraumatic Growth will join Drs. Gloria & Heidi Horsley on their nationally syndicated talk radio program �Healing the Grieving Heart� November 16th, 9 AM PST/12 Noon EST.

Lawrence G. Calhoun and Richard Tedeschi are Professors of Psychology at UNC Charlotte, and specialists in trauma and bereavement. They have written several books in this area: Trauma and Transformation (1995), Posttraumatic Growth (1998), Facilitating Posttraumatic Growth (1999), Helping Bereaved Parents (2004), and The Handbook of Posttraumatic Growth (2006), as well as many articles.

They teach undergraduate and graduate courses in a variety of clinical areas. Their professional practice has been focused on individuals and couples coping with highly challenging life circumstances. Dr. Tedeschi has facilitated parental bereavement groups since 1987.

Lawrence G. Calhoun
is Professor of Psychology and a Licensed Psychologist. He lived his formative years in Brazil, came to the US to attend college and has remained here since. His doctoral degree is from the University of Georgia. Together with Richard Tedeschi he has been one of the pioneers in the development of research and theory on posttraumatic growth. He is co-author or co-editor of 7 books, including the Handbook of Posttraumatic Growth � Research and Practice, published in 2006 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

He teaches courses in clinical psychology and liberal studies to undergraduate and graduate students. In 2004 he was the recipient of the Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence and in 2005 he was a recipient of The University of North Carolina Board of Governor�s Award for Teaching Excellence.

Richard G. Tedeschi
received his B.A. in Psychology from Syracuse University, his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Ohio University, and completed his Clinical Psychology Internship at The University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Dr. Tedeschi is Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he teaches personality and psychotherapy. He is a Licensed Psychologist specializing in bereavement and trauma, and has led support groups for bereaved parents since 1987. He has recently published Helping Bereaved Parents: A Clinician�s Guide, together with his colleague, Lawrence Calhoun. They have also published books on posttraumatic growth: Trauma and Transformation, Posttraumatic Growth, Facilitating Posttraumatic Growth, and most recently, the Handbook of Posttraumatic Growth. He has served as a consultant to the American Psychological Association on trauma and resilience.
Join Drs. Gloria and Dr. Heidi Horsley and their guests on �Healing the Grieving Heart� Thursday, November 16th beginning at 9 AM PST/12 Noon EST.

Click on Radio Show to listen in. Call 1-866-472-5792 to participate.

New York, New York and San Francisco, California (PRWEB) November 14, 2006 � Dr. Lawrence Calhoun and Dr. Richard Tedschi, Professors of Psychology at UNC Charlotte, and authors of The Handbook of Posttraumatic Growth will join Drs. Gloria & Heidi Horsley on their nationally syndicated talk radio program �Healing the Grieving Heart� November 16th, 9 AM PST/12 Noon EST. Read the rest of this entry »