Longing for Home: Navigating grief, change, & heartache during the Holidays
The holiday season can bring a mix of emotion for each of us, from joy and excitement to a sense of sadness and nostalgia. So much can change in our lives and it is during holidays that these changes can become most apparent to us - we notice the absence of a family member who has died or moved away, we are reminded of better-times and past holidays, or we are overjoyed to celebrate with new partners, friends, and family members.
We so badly want the holidays to be a time of rest where he can hit pause on the ever changing landscape of life. And sometimes the holidays can be just that, providing us with a meaningful sense of celebration and community. But other times the holidays can feel painful, isolating, and dull.
Dealing with Pet Grief: Healing After the Loss of Your Animal Companion
When we think of grief and loss, we often associate it with the loss of a person, but grief can also manifest in other forms, specifically after the loss of a pet.
It is unfortunate, however, that in our society we give little credence to the impact and weight that can accompany the death of a cherished pet.
As a therapist, I’ve spent many sessions helping clients navigate the complexity of emotion and pain that arise with the passing of an animal. And in recent months, my family experienced the loss of a pet - an adventurous and faithful dog named Oliver - eliciting my own feelings of sadness, loss, and grief.
Reframing our Pursuit of Meaning and Purpose: A New Year’s Reflection
There is immense societal pressure, especially in America, to set resolutions in the New Year to improve our lives with new habits and lifestyle changes. But for most of us, if we’re lucky, our resolutions will only last a few months before our motivation peters out and we find ourselves back at square one.
However annoying this cycle of started and failed resolutions may be, I believe that this annual burst of motivation to better ourselves reveals our longing, as humans, to live a fulfilling and meaningful life