Support System

Ask any parent of an autistic child, and they will tell you: raising a child with autism is one of the most rewarding, eye-opening, and joy-filled experiences life can offer. There are as many reasons to celebrate autism as there are ways that it presents itself. But good things often come in complicated packages, and…

At the Heart of It Caregivers often feel exhausted, isolated, and unrecognized. It’s normal to feel anger, resentment, and guilt as a result of the stress of caring for another. There is no such thing as “perfection” in caregiving. This is a unique experience that can be challenging, but meaningful. Your best is good enough…

At the Heart of It Emotional stress like grief or overwhelm can manifest itself as physical symptoms. Those symptoms can create more stress and lead to something called the “Pain-Stress-Pain” cycle. Working through physical pain with a professional can help create the space needed to process our emotional stress and break the cycle.   I…

Can one form of grief be less significant than another? Here, we’ll explore how non-person losses, while sometimes perceived as “less-than” other forms of grief, can still feel the same. At the Heart of It Homesickness shares many similarities with grief in how we experience it when a loved one dies. Moving forward from homesickness…

Interview by Terry Becker; article by Amy Roberts At the Heart of It When witnessing or assisting with a grief experience, professionals often set aside their own feelings in order to be there for their clients. Society doesn’t always offer validation for pet loss. The connection between pets and their families is real, important, and…

At the Heart of It • Grief can feel like a bottomless pit that's impossible to escape. • While there is no "getting over it," we can gradually climb out of that pit and find joy again. • We do that by making small, intentional choices that lead us to empowerment and, eventually, healing. If…

From therapeutic art workshops with cancer patients to podcast interviews with athletic coaches, I’ve seen how different the effects of grief are in different people. We can feel it emotionally, we can watch it manifest itself physically, and we can see it reflected in our behaviors.But at the very center of the grief experience is the heart.The heart is…

Hearts of Hope Newtown was thrilled to usher in the holiday season by delivering hope to three Ability Beyond group homes in Connecticut. In October, we hosted a Paint with a Purpose event to support and celebrate the residents and staff at Ability Beyond, which offers services to thousands of individuals with disabilities. Over Thanksgiving…

On November 18, Hearts of Hope partnered with Cornerstone in Chandler, Arizona, as part of a day of service to help underserved folks in the community. Families and children came together to paint 100 hearts and write notes of gratitude and encouragement. The Cornerstone community was especially excited to provide an opportunity that young children…

Over the last few months, Hearts of Hope is proud to have hosted many events in support and honor of our veterans. This Veteran’s Day, we are thrilled to share more about these recent events with you. We are grateful for our veterans, their families, and the sacrifices they make for the good of all…