Beyond Surviving, Embracing the Holidays with Grace
The approaching holiday season, coupled with the year's darkest days, can feel overwhelming—especially when you're navigating loss or complicated family dynamics. The cultural expectations of joyful participation and elaborate preparation can feel impossibly heavy when your heart is elsewhere.
Perhaps this year finds you facing your first holidays after divorce, without a loved one who was always at the table, or managing a chronic illness that limits your capacity. Maybe you're dealing with family estrangement, caregiving exhaustion, or the quiet ache of an empty nest. Whatever your circumstances, the gap between how the holidays "should" feel and how they actually feel can be profound.
Permission to Choose Differently
Rather than forcing our way through crowded malls filled with relentlessly cheerful music, or attending gatherings where we must perform happiness we don't feel, I've learned the importance of being intentional about my choices.
Here's what I want you to know: You are allowed to set boundaries about where, how, and with whom you celebrate. Your inner wisdom can guide you toward what might bring comfort or even unexpected moments of joy—and that may look nothing like it used to.
Reimagining the Season
I've discovered possibilities in reimagination and reinvention when planning for the holidays. It is possible to shift our inner landscape, even when external circumstances remain difficult.
We can:
Acknowledge and honor our losses with those who truly see us
Sit with complexity amid the pressure to be cheerful
Find glimpses of gratitude, even when things feel dark
Strengthen boundaries and deepen our self-care practices
Bring forward meaningful traditions that still resonate
Explore new rituals that offer solace for this season of your life
Settle into authentic connection, opening ourselves to empathy and support from those who understand
Lean into the darkness of the solstice, trusting that glimmers of light and hope will emerge
An Invitation to Circle
Whether you're experiencing loss related to work, health, a beloved pet, a relationship, or family member, you don't have to navigate this season alone.
I invite you to join me and my colleague, Larey Swanson, MD, NBC-HWC, in an intimate group coaching experience: Navigating the Holiday Season with Loss: A Circle of Hope and Healing.
This gathering will be:
Rooted in ancestral and Indigenous practices
A space for genuine support and reflection
Open to all, regardless of faith tradition or background
Grounded in kindness, understanding, and mutual respect
With support and community, it is possible not just to survive but to embrace the holidays with grace.
Details:
Six Tuesday sessions via Zoom, 5:00 - 6:30 pm CST, beginning November 4, 2025
Together, we can navigate this journey with care and compassion in the supportive container of Circle. You'll find meaningful connection with others who understand that the holidays aren't always merry and bright—and that's okay.
If you're wondering whether this group is right for you, I invite you to reach out for a brief conversation. Sometimes the hardest part is simply taking the first step toward support.
