The Empty Chair: Handling Grief When Everyone Else Is Celebrating 🕯️

Grief can feel especially sharp during the holidays. Traditions, familiar foods, music, and an empty place at the table can make someone’s absence impossible to ignore.

There is no single right way to handle it:

1. Let the holiday look different: You do not have to recreate traditions exactly as they were. Changing a ritual can sometimes make it easier to move forward. 🌿

2. Expect mixed emotions: You can laugh at dinner and still miss someone deeply. Moments of happiness do not mean you have stopped grieving.

3. Make room for remembrance: Talking about the person, looking at photographs, preparing their favorite food, or creating a new ritual can give grief a place within the celebration.

If the holidays have brought grief to the surface, SMD Associates offers a space where those feelings can be explored without judgment. Reach out when you need somewhere to put what you are carrying. 👩‍💼

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