How to cope with stress, grief and loss over the holidays  

Terry Warburton of Recovery of Hope and wellness coach Linda Vickers talk holiday stress, grief, and their upcoming “Just Pause” workshops.

The holiday season is known as a time of joy and togetherness, but for some people it brings forward feelings of loss and sadness.

“It’s a time when there can be so much going on additionally,” said Terry Warburton, clinical director of the counselling agency Recovery of Hope.

“So much pressure to do a lot of things…All the things that are part of our gatherings and work-related things.”

Warburton said the holidays are a time when there are a lot of expectations, which can be overwhelming and stressful for some people.

She added it’s an especially difficult period for those who are grieving.

“There are big losses in our lives and those gaping holes can feel even bigger this time of year,” she said.

To help deal with these difficult emotions, certified wellness coach Linda Vickers suggested it’s beneficial to learn how to take a pause and be mindful, especially when it comes to grief.

“We don’t know how to do Christmas without our loved ones,” she said.

“We don’t know how to do the traditions that we’ve had. We’ve done them for years, but now we don’t know how. There’s an empty chair.”

Vickers added it’s helpful to incorporate the holiday traditions you like best, even if that means scaling things down or switching them up.

“Maybe we don’t need the big 10-foot tree, but we can put up a tree,” she said.

“Driving around looking at lights, we can still do that. Maybe not as a carload of people, but we can still do it even on our own, just to do something.”

For those seeking more guidance, Recovery of Hope is hosting two workshops as part of its Just Pause series, including one session on stress reduction on Nov. 22 and another on grief support on Dec. 6.

“We are offering the workshops because people need additional support during this time, but we also have high-quality counsellors to support people on their journey whatever it’s looking like right now,” Warburton said.

More information on the workshops can be found online.

• With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé