GriefHaven Blog | Insights and Stories of Healing

March 24, 2014

Watch griefHaven on Good Morning America

Susan discusses the TV show Resurrection, an American fantasy drama television series about dead people who return to life. It is based on Jason Mott’s novel The Returned (2013). The series follows the residents of Arcadia, Missouri, whose lives are upended when their loved ones return from the dead, not having aged since their deaths.

October 7, 2013

Grief Relief Talk Show

Episode 20: Finding Meaning After Loss Watch Susan Whitmore on Grief Relief talk show. She is halfway through the show. On this show, Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Heidi Horsley explore the topic of finding meaning after loss. They interview two inspirational women who, rather than be broken by their experience, have used their tragic losses to make meaning and to help others. The first guest is Ann Khadalia, Social Worker and the second guest is Susan Whitmore founder and CEO of griefHaven. The show closes with a song, I Will Friend You, sung by singer-songwriter Michael Davis.

September 18, 2024

Don’t Play Music, We Might Cry

I frequently hear families that are experiencing grief say some variation of the following: “Don’t play music, we might cry.” Of course, when they say this, I remind myself that I have the opportunity to teach them why music is often an important element of a meaningful funeral.

November 1, 2012

Workshop – International Association of Professional Chaplains

Susan and Wendell Whitmore, griefHaven Board Members, and Rev. Pam Washburn, Advisory Board Member Workshop with the International Association of Professional Chaplains –San Francisco, CA griefHaven Booth Spreading the Word About griefHaven Wendell & Susan Spreading the Word About griefHaven San Francisco, CA – Susan Speaking Las Vegas, Nevada

November 18, 2018

2018 Heart to Heart Celebrities Sang Their Hearts Out

Celebrities Sang Their Hearts Out Tye Blue sings from his soul “God Bless the Child.” Emma Hunton, who played Elphaba in the play “Wicked,” belts out “Defying Gravity” from “Wicked.” Tracie Thoms, Cold Case, Devil Wears Prada, and who played Joanne in the play “Rent,” pulls from deep within to share the song “Ordinary People.” Briana Cuoco, who was a finalist on “The Voice” reaches deep within herself and performs the song “Rise Up.” Tye, Emma, Tracie, and Briana ended the night with a spectacular group performance of the famous song from the play “Rent:” “Song of Love” You know the song: “525,600 minutes. 525,000 moments so dear…” To hear the song and see the words:” The 2018 Gala Tributes at the Gala Photos at the Gala This Is griefHaven

May 28, 2024

Finding Closure is a Myth

The wound of loss is a part of each person's life forever. We continue to think about those dear to us, though perhaps not every day or with the same intensity. Recollection is sometimes provoked by a date on the calendar or, less predictably, by a sight, sound, aroma, melody or place that evokes the missing person. These personal moments, seemingly forever paused in time, can cause us to feel alone, especially during sentiment-filled holidays.

October 19, 2020

Storms of Life

When the storms of life are raging, And the clouds are all around, And you think you're all alone, Just take a look around.

When there is no one there to talk to And you're feeling sad and blue And you think no one will listen, I'll be the light in the storm for you.

Even though we've never met, Or seen each other's smiles, Our friendship is from the heart, not sight, And it can span the miles.

We all are one winged angel, Alone it is impossible to fly, But if we embrace each other, We can span the sky.

March 20, 2025

Grief and Trauma After the Palisades Fire

Shortly after the Palisades fire destroyed our sweet and beautiful town, I began reaching out to media, hoping to get them to address the inevitable grief and trauma in the aftermath of the fire. And I have been frustrated. No media I spoke with seemed interested. As a grief and trauma expert, I understood that grief and trauma would soon visit those whose houses had burned to the ground—who had lost everything. And I knew that many with houses still standing would be going through their own, different grief and trauma.

October 19, 2020

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.

October 19, 2020

On the Death of the Beloved

Though we need to weep your loss,
You dwell in that safe place in our hearts
Where no storm or night or pain can reach you.

Your love was like the dawn

June 11, 2020

PTSD – How experiencing Traumatic Stress Leads to Aggression

Traumatic stress can cause aggression by strengthening two brain pathways involved in emotion, according to research recently published in JNeurosci. Targeting those pathways via deep brain stimulation may stymie aggression associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. The consequences of traumatic stress linger long after the stress ends. People suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder often display heightened aggression, caused by unknown changes in the amygdala.

April 14, 2020

How Stress Remodels The Brain

Research led by Si-Qiong June Liu, MD, Ph.D., Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, has shown how stress changes the structure of the brain and reveals a potential therapeutic target to the prevent or reverse it. The findings are published in the Journal of Neuroscience. Working in a mouse model, Liu and her research team found that a single stressful event produced quick and long-lasting changes in astrocytes, the brain cells that clean up chemical messengers called neurotransmitters after they've communicated information between nerve cells.