Grief during the holidays can feel like an emotional rollercoaster, pulling you between heartache and moments of bittersweet memory. But each holiday you face gives you a chance to learn, grow, and prepare for what’s next. It’s not about making it perfect—it’s about finding ways to honor your emotions while creating space for love. If you
Even though Thanksgiving can be a tender and challenging time when you’re grieving, this meditation offers a way to transform heartache into love and meaning. By reflecting on the many ways your loved one has shaped your life, you honor their memory and the enduring bond you share. Thanksgiving can then become more than a
Every holiday season, I work with my clients to create strategies for reducing holiday anxiety and navigating this emotionally charged time of year. But even with the best plan in your back pocket, it’s natural to feel “tipped over” at times. Grief is a natural reaction to loss, and it doesn’t always follow a schedule—feelings
Deciding not to attend holiday events while grieving isn’t about saying no to people you care about—it’s about saying yes to what you need to heal. I am not Emily Post. And grief is not finishing school. But having a framework for saying no to holiday events that honors your grieving heart is a superpower that
The holidays can feel like a minefield of emotions when you’re grieving. Thanksgiving, in particular, brings particular challenges—family traditions, expectations, and gatherings that can feel overwhelming when you’re carrying the weight of loss. While loved ones may mean well, their expectations for how you “should” show up during the holiday don’t always align with what
Heather Stang’s latest book, Navigating Loss, goes beyond traditional grief literature. It addresses the often overlooked “non-death” losses, such as divorce, caregiving, and career transitions, that can leave us feeling unmoored. Through mindfulness, journaling, and creative exercises, Heather provides tools to help readers process grief, find meaning, and rebuild their lives. Key Themes of the Book:Non-Death
When you’re grieving, it can feel like you are in the loneliest place in the world. Even if you’re surrounded by friends and family who love you, the ache of loss can make you feel like no one really understands what you’re going through. And honestly? That’s because often they don’t. Grief has this unique way
The holiday season can be hard when you’re grieving, and if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re definitely not alone. I created Awaken Grief Support Program because I know what it’s like to face the holidays carrying the weight of loss—my first loss happened just before Thanksgiving and forever changed my family. Since then, supporting others through this season
In this article, I’ve listed 15 ways to honor your deceased loved one and organized it into three sections—individual, family, rituals for children—so you can choose the activities that best fit your Thanksgiving gathering. Thanksgiving has always been a time of mixed emotions for me. My first Thanksgiving after losing my Uncle Doug left a lasting
Thanksgiving is a holiday that centers on family gatherings, shared meals, and giving thanks. But for children who are grieving, Thanksgiving can be filled with mixed emotions and painful reminders of a loved one who is no longer there. This holiday, which emphasizes gratitude and togetherness, may feel like a difficult day to get through,
The holiday season, especially Thanksgiving, can be one of the hardest times of the year for those who are grieving. The absence of a loved one feels sharper when we gather around the table, filling seats with family and friends, while the one we miss is simply… missing. Thanksgiving, with all its emphasis on gratitude
Journaling through grief can feel intimidating, especially when you’re not sure where to start. Trust me, I get it—sitting down with a blank page can be tough when emotions are painfully raw. But having a gentle structure, like these prompts, can make it easier to begin. Each writing prompt is designed to help you explore
Our ability to feel loss deeply, be it the death of a loved one or a significant non-death loss like the end of a relationship or a big life change, shows we’re engaged in the full spectrum of human experiences. It proves we’re alive and fully invested in our relationships and passions. So feeling the
The key to a calm, connected holiday season lies in clear, compassionate communication. Boundaries aren’t walls—they’re pathways to peace and understanding. In a previous article, we shared 7 Tips to Cope with Difficult People and Holiday Grief, which offers practical strategies for navigating family gatherings and handling challenging personalities. In this article, we’ll dive deeper into
Grieving a Complicated Relationship vs. Complicated GriefThe grief that follows a complicated relationship and what we call complicated grief (now clinically termed Prolonged Grief Disorder) are two distinct experiences, though they may overlap. Grieving a complicated relationship involves mourning someone with whom we had mixed or ambivalent feelings—perhaps there was love alongside pain, connection mixed with
