Written by Lost & Found Volunteer Facilitator, Katie Hansen

For many people, the new year is an exciting and hopeful time. A time to reflect on who we want to be, what we want to have, and how we want to succeed.

However, I remember a time when the new year felt unsurvivable and hopeless. What I wanted the next year to look like, who I wanted to be, and who I wanted to be with, were not reconcilable to reality. The new year felt daunting because my sister Grace (one of my closest companions) had died, and I was going through a divorce. Rather than feeling the magic of possibility, I felt the gravity of reality, which was a life much different than I knew or had planned for.

I felt completely alone.

Perhaps you resonate with what I’m describing and may feel lonely, dreadful, and unable to express your heartache. Experiencing loss is so hard. It is even worse in isolation.

This time of year can be particularly challenging, not only because the pressure to feel joyful during the holidays may conflict with what you feel inside, but the colder weather and shorter days provide the perfect excuse to stay inside and keep to yourself. I implore you to not isolate. Connection and support are essential to healthy grieving and the lack of it can lead to negative outcomes, such as: *

• An inability to cope with reality or integrate the loss
• Social issues
• Impaired sleep, poor health, and a weakened immune system
• Substance misuse
• Increased suicidality.

*Source: “Complicated grief: An evolving theoretical landscape,” Crunk, et al, 2017

There is a way to mitigate the negativity associated with grief in solitude. In their 2020 book, “The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying,” authors DeSpelder & Strickland explain that while the bereaved may feel abandoned, social support can help ease the feeling of loneliness.

If you are grieving the death of a loved one, I urge you to connect and share your grief. You may be thinking, “No one in my life gets it.” Maybe they don’t. But there are people who would be honored to walk with you through your grief journey. It may be uncomfortable at first, but the benefits far outweigh the temporary discomfort.

At Lost & Found Grief Center, I attended grief support groups. I also benefited from local individual counseling. I learned that I was not alone, and that so many others in my community were grieving too. I no longer dread the new year and enter 2026 with hope.

You can find someone to witness your pain and support your grief journey. Whether it be a counselor, therapist, grief coach, or support group, help is available for you to not grieve alone.

If you are grieving, please contact Lost & Found Grief Center at (417) 865-9998 or visit them online at www.lostandfoundozarks.com. Lost & Found never charges participants for its therapeutic grief support groups.

Katie Hansen has a master’s degree in psychology, facilitates grief groups at Lost & Found Grief Center, and is the founder of the consulting and training company, “You Better Bereave It.”

Each year, Lost & Found Grief Center awards the James Craig Carr Memorial scholarship, through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, to one former grief group participant attending college.

The 2025-2026 scholarship went to Nixa High School graduate Izzy Lord. She is a freshman at Missouri State University.

Izzy first attended Lost & Found with her family in 2018 after her 15-year-old brother Daniel died. Like many young participants, she did not want to attend grief group, but, despite her reluctance on that first night, she now says she found it beneficial.

“Being in group helps you know that you’re not alone,” Izzy said.

After her initial night at Lost & Found, Izzy began looking forward to attending. She said the group coordinators made it fun, and she enjoyed talking about her brother.

“I think the most important thing for a family who has experienced a death is to not let the memories of your loved ones die out.”

“When people ask about my siblings, I say I have four sisters and a brother. If they ask about Daniel, I tell them that he died when he was 15. I put myself in a vulnerable situation to honor him, because people deserve to know he existed,” she shared.

The James Craig Carr Memorial Scholarship opportunity supports current and former participants of Lost & Found Grief Center who are pursuing further education—whether through undergraduate or graduate programs, technical schools, or non-traditional academic paths.

Our partnership with the Carr family and the Community Foundation of the Ozarks is another way we support grieving families.

Applications for the 2026-27 school year open on Jan. 1, 2026. 

How to apply:
• Go to the Community Foundation of the Ozarks website.
• Find the criteria by searching “James Craig Carr Memorial Scholarship.”
• When you are ready, click Apply Now to begin the process.

Note: The deadline to submit your application for the 2026-2027 year is March 16, 2026.