Grief Retreats for Connection,
Healing, and Adventure

Dr. Heidi Horsley
Dr. Heidi Horsley is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Open to Hope
Foundation, www.opentohope.com, an organization committed to providing hope and resources to those grieving a loss. She co-hosts an award winning weekly cable television show and podcast. In addition, she has been an adjunct professor at Columbia University for 20 years, and has a private practice in New York City.
Dr. Heidi serves on the Advisory Board for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors of Military Loss (TAPS) and the Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Foundation. For eight years, she served on the National Board of Directors for The Compassionate Friends. Dr. Heidi is a Licensed Psychologist and Social Worker. She holds a Psychology Doctorate from the University of San Francisco, a Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University, and a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Loyola University in New Orleans.
An award winning author, Dr. Heidi has co-authored 8 books on grief and loss. She has appeared on ABC’s 20/20, and Good Morning America Australia. She has been quoted in the Washington Post, Time Magazine, Newsday, Web MD, the New York Daily News, Everyday Health, and the Metro World News, in addition to numerous other media venues. She gives keynote presentations, workshops and professional continuing education courses throughout the country.
Dr. Heidi worked for 10 yrs. as a co-investigator for the FDNY-Columbia University
Family Guidance Program; a longitudinal study which looked at traumatic loss over time in families of firefighters killed in the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. Through this 9/11 study, Dr. Heidi provided ongoing intervention and follow-up to firefighter widows and their children, and facilitated groups for bereaved siblings.
Dr. Horsley's research interests and publications are in the area of grief and loss, and her doctoral dissertation was on the sudden death of a sibling. Dr. Heidi is passionate about building awareness for sibling loss, and does her work in memory of her brother Scott.
