Cheryl Stewart Counselling Services, London, ON

The holiday season is here once again. There are lights and holiday music everywhere and everyone is supposed to be jolly. Right? Well for some, this time of year is a reminder of who is no longer here, those people or pets who have died in the previous year. Instead of feeling joyful and happy, these people might feel  a range of other emotions. They could be feeling sad, lonely, angry, lost, or even just numb. These are all normal given they are grieving.

So if you are someone grieving a loss in the previous year and feel you are struggling through this season, take care of yourself. Spend time with others if that feels right or spend some time alone if that also feels right. Don’t try to push away the feelings and memories, but instead allow yourself to feel them and honor them. Talk about the loss. Remember them. Create rituals that will honor the person or pet and also honor you. Let the tears flow. Let the pain out.

This time of year can be difficult for many reasons. Share it with people who matter and can be truly compassionate. Make it what you can in light of your loss. Be kind to yourself. The heart and soul can heal.

Get your self-esteem from how you live not from what you get. I found myself giving this advice this past week but what do I mean by it. In today’s society I find many people are getting their self-esteem from what they are buying or what they are achieving rather than from an inner sense of their own values and beliefs. For example, one could decide that being kind is a value they hold and so they decide to hold a door open each day for someone they come across in their day. This is just one example and there are many values to choose from. So give some thought to your own values and then decide to behave in that way each and every day. You will feel good and your self-esteem will get a good boost too.

Welcome to my blog as I venture more into the world of social media. My hope is that this blog will help those who read it by providing information in regards to counseling and psychotherapy and the many related topics. So what is psychotherapy? Many ask this question. It is the exploration of one’s inner thoughts and feelings with a trained professional in a safe and trusting environment. The end result will be more clarity, a sense of peace and contentment, and better life skills. Who doesn’t want that right?