Episode 051: Grief During the Holidays

The holidays can be bittersweet when anticipation and joy are mixed with grief and loss. The normal hustle and bustle of the holidays include great things like dinners, parties, gift exchanges, performances, and family gatherings. But for those experiencing loss, October through December can be excruciatingly painful months. Grief is not limited to the death of a loved one. Separation, divorce, illness, family trauma, job loss and even moving to a new location all result in great loss that can make the holidays difficult. In this episode of The Bridge Podcast, we discuss tips and share resources to help you survive the holidays while grieving.

SHOW NOTES:

1:30 - Grief touches every life

3:00 - Rely on the truth found in the Bible first

3:30 - Holidays are filled with memories and tradition that become bittersweet when blended with grief

6:30 - H. Norman Wright explains how grief can show up during your holiday

9:30 - We're never going to get over loss, it is a part of the fabric of our life

11:45 - Grace for others, and grace for yourself too

12:45 - Remembering loved ones and celebrating the life you shared together

14:05 - Techniques GriefShare recommends to survive the holidays

16:00 - One less set of hands to help means you have to pace yourself

17:30 - Inject yourself as a support in the life of someone who is grieving

19:45 - Balance your privacy with quality time with other people

20:40 - Holidays are a time to focus on religious significance

22:15 - Children processing grief need loved ones to guide them through it

24:00 - GriefShare resources help you recover from loss and rebuild your life

25:55 - GriefShare 'Surviving the Holidays' seminar events

26:25 - 'Surviving the Holidays While Grieving' article from Journey Through Loss

28:00 - 'The Year of Firsts' article from Crosswalk

29:00 - Takeaways

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