00:00Brittany, while the holidays can be a joyous time, they can also be a very heavy one for those
00:05who are coping with the loss of the loved ones. Why is it a time like this, Christmas especially,
00:12can be so triggering? That's a great question and I think I'm glad you guys are even making
00:18space to have this conversation because the holiday season is just one of those times where
00:22we set aside intentional time to be with friends and families and loved ones from holiday parties
00:29to family gatherings. It's just a time of celebration and connection. So when we think
00:35about grief and think about losing loved ones, it's that loss of connection that we've had. One way
00:42that we describe grief is the loss of connection. So with Christmas and other holidays around this
00:48season, it's triggering because we don't have that time with those special loved ones that we've lost
00:53or aren't able to stay in contact and go into those rituals and routines and traditions that
00:59normally would. And so them not being there is a constant reminder of that heavy loss and that
01:04heavy grief. So that's why the holidays is such a triggering time for those who are walking through
01:10this grief journey. And I also add this one other little piece. When we think about grief, a lot of
01:14times we think about just loved ones that we lost, but grief kind of expands into just other areas of
01:20loss in general. So that could be maybe you recently lost a job or you lost your home or something of
01:26that nature. And so the holidays can be triggering for that grief as well, because you lost that
01:31routine, that ritual, those traditions that you normally have, you're not able to provide for your
01:35family. And so you may be experiencing grief symptoms, even though maybe you haven't lost a loved one. So
01:40there's a huge spectrum that we're looking at when we talk about grief.
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