Loss In Its Many Forms: Coping During the Holidays

Grief and loss can feel prominent around the holidays as we miss the presence of loved ones who have died. You may also be experiencing grief without having experienced the death of a loved one. Many areas of our lives can contribute to feelings of loss.

 You may be experiencing loss in the form of:

• Friendships

• Infertility

• Miscarriage

• Moving

• Divorce

• A Child Leaving Home

We naturally create narratives in our minds about important parts of our lives, such as partnership or having a family. These ‘stories’ often paint a picture of what we anticipate for our lives. For example, we may imagine how many children we will have or that we will grow old with our spouse. The holidays are a common time of year to imagine our story.

Just as the absence of a loved one due to death can feel especially sore during the holidays, so can a missing piece of “the plan.” Heartache can be felt in the absence of the baby you long for, the partner you’ve spent the last 20 years with, or a beloved neighborhood where you used to live.

Grief of all kinds requires our patience as we wade through the turbulent waters.

Here are three strategies that may help the pain of grief and loss during the holidays.