grief tips

For people who are grieving the death of a loved one, the loss can feel the most profound during the holidays. Family traditions and times of celebration are far different without that key family member.

Lost & Found Grief Center offers practical tips for families and individuals who are missing a loved one during this holiday season.

Lost & Found’s Holiday Grief Booklet includes guidance such as:

• Take care of yourself – Grief is physically and emotionally exhausting. It’s not selfish to rest or put yourself first.
• Set realistic expectations – Let go of “how it used to be” and embrace what this year can look like.
• Anticipate grief triggers – The holidays bring expectations to be full of holiday cheer. If that could trigger a grief burst, avoid those situations.

Do not feel obligated to continue family traditions if honoring those traditions could become a grief trigger. Consider creating new traditions such as:

• Prepare a holiday dish, dessert, or drink in your loved one’s honor.
• Create a memory box. You can ask others to write holiday memories, wrap the box, and decide when to open it.
• Purchase a gift your loved one would have liked and give it to a charity or make a donation in your loved one’s name.

“At Lost & Found, we tell our participants to give themselves grace, and that is most important around the holidays,” said Melanie Blair, assistant executive director at Lost & Found. “Do what you can do with family and friends, but it’s okay to pause traditions or start new ones. Grief doesn’t take time off at the holidays, but neither does hope.”

The Holiday Grief Booklet may be viewed online here.

To learn more about Lost & Found Grief Center’s services, visit www.lostandfoundozarks.com or call 417‑865‑9998.