MINDFULNESS & GRIEF PODCAST EPISODE 23

Coping With Grief During The Holidays

Mindful Tips & Tools

with Heather Stang

Let’s face it, the winter holidays can be particularly tough on us when we are grieving.  What is supposed to be the happiest time of the year is anything but, as we are constantly reminded that someone is missing. Not that we need to be reminded. When we are deep in grief our loved one is always at the front of our mind and heart. The holiday season underscores what is already present.

We miss them. Their physical presence, the intimate conversations, your shared history and plans that you make. And you will never forget them. No matter what. Well intended loved ones encourage us to get out of the house and have fun. Enjoy the holidays! There is an expectation that the lights and music can somehow alleviate our pain.

When you are grieving, the holidays have their own kind of sting. My goal in this episode is to help you plan ahead and master a few tools so that you can navigate this season with as much equanimity – a calm and steady mind – as possible. Not with the goal of moving through grief with grace. Grief is messy. But with the intention that you can suffer less, feel connected to your loved one, and do the grief work that needs to happen in order for you to reengage with your own life in a meaningful way.

About Heather Stang

Heather is the author of Mindfulness & Grief and the host of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast. She has a master’s degree in Thanatology (death, dying and bereavement) and is a certified yoga therapist and meditation instructor. Her own journey of love, loss and posttraumatic growth fuels her passion for teaching bereaved families and grief professionals how to use mindfulness-based techniques to cope with grief, cultivate resilience, and prevent burnout.

Heather is the founder of the Frederick Meditation Center and the Mindfulness & Grief Training Institute. She serves on the faculty of the Portland Institute for Loss & Transition, and volunteers with the Hospice of Washington County and the Hospice of Frederick County in Maryland. Contact Heather and find free guided meditations for grief and at MindfulnessAndGrief.com.