Ways to Deal with Emotions During the Holiday Season | Insights from Melbourne Therapists

We often look at holidays  as a time for joy, festivities, and celebration. However, for some individuals, holidays can serve as a sad reminder of the recent passing of a loved one, a strained relationship, and/or the loss of a job by amplifying feelings of loneliness and isolation.

What you are feeling is real and valid. In a survey conducted by Harvard Medical School, about 62% of the participants experienced elevated stress levels (which includes feelings such as grief) during the holidays.

With insights from Melbourne therapists, we’ll outline the reasons why we might be feeling the holiday blues, explore strategies we can apply to help cope with our sadness, and introduce what support is available at Inner Eastern Psychology.

While Easter holidays have passed, this information will continue to be relevant to upcoming holidays. 

Understanding Grief During the Holidays

Grief is a natural response to the loss of something or someone important in  our lives. This can come from the loss of a loved one, a career, a sentimental object, a relationship, or a friendship, and its intensity can be amplified during the holiday season.

The festive nature of holidays can be a constant reminder of loss, as the person we shared the memory with is no longer with us.

This is especially prevalent in death anniversaries, which can be overwhelming to experience.

Furthermore, as holidays centre around spending time with our loved ones, this can add pressure to hide our pain and grief, so as not to dampen our spirits, leading to heightened feelings of loneliness.

Is It Normal to Feel Grief?

Yes, we don’t need to justify to anyone how we are feeling. 

Grief is a completely appropriate reaction to loss, and everyone experiences grief differently so there is no right or wrong way to respond to grief. There is also the possibility that the people around you during the holidays are also grieving in their own way. 

Ways to Cope with Grief During the Holiday Period

There’s no black-and-white approach to dealing with grief, but some approaches can effectively help us cope: 

Acknowledge Your Feelings

As discussed earlier, grief is a natural response to loss, so it is reasonable to feel waves  of sadness, anger, and even happiness during this period, allowing ourselves to grieve in our own way.

Remember, there is no right or wrong way to grieve. Feeling joy during a holiday does not mean we have forgotten about our loss.

Seek Support From People Who Love You

It is okay to give ourselves space while we allow ourselves to grieve. However, extended time without support can increase feelings of loneliness.

Despite the urge or temptation to cancel the holiday, it is completely fine if we cannot complete tasks because we don’t feel ready to handle them. Even if it doesn’t feel like it, there are people who love us, and are more than willing to let us lean on them for support during this time.

Whether it’s our friends, family, partner, or a local support group, surrounding ourselves with people who support us and sharing our feelings with them can provide us with much-needed comfort and understanding during this challenging time.

Our friends, family, and partner can also help during this difficult time. They might be able to stand in our place and perhaps might be able to help cook, shop, and decorate for the holidays, giving us time to grieve.

To find a compromise, we can find a ‘middle ground’ for remembering and grieving by making time for ourselves, and also scheduling social activities with our support network, while checking in with ourselves to gauge our capacity. 

Seek Professional Help

If you find that you’re getting overwhelmed with grief, please do not hesitate to seek professional help. 

Grief can be a very personal experience – often exposing a person’s vulnerabilities to emotions, and a qualified therapist can offer us the support, guidance, and assistance we need to navigate this challenging time.

With that said, it’s completely okay to grieve during the holidays, and with time, the support, and the proper acknowledgment of our feelings, we will find a way to heal.

Schedule A Grief Counselling Session Today with Inner Eastern Psychology

At Inner Eastern Psychology Melbourne, we understand that grief is a very personal experience. Therefore, we openly encourage building rapport by giving you the space you need to openly talk, express your emotions, and feel listened to during grief counselling.

Contact us today, and let us help you find a therapist and psychologist to assist you.