Remember that your grief is your grief. No one understands what you are going through. Feelings aren’t right or wrong; they just are. Allow yourself space to walk through your own pain.

Do something different and nice; just for you. Try a facial, a massage, or clear your mind with a relaxing hypnotherapy session.

You decide how to handle the holidays. Do what you need to do to get through the first year.

Find a local support group. Sharing or just listening to others who are experiencing the pain of loss can be helpful. It’s OK to laugh; laughter is therapeutic. It distracts from the pain for a while and releases endorphins that give us a natural release; much healthier than blocking pain with alcohol, prescribed or non-prescribed drugs.

Seek out a counselor.  Many of us store unresolved experiences of loss and emotional wounds from the past. Talking can give expression to your pain while helping you to get through it.