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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 2017)
18 Wednesday, November 29, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Coping with grief during the holiday season By Audry Van Houweling, P M H N P isters and Co k 3 Contracting LLC Ed Cook Remodeling • Kitchens • Baths Finish Carpentry Airbnb Remodels • Painting & More Sisters-owned • 46 years experience Licensed & Insured I will return your call promptly! 541-549-6406 CCB#212871 villageinteriorsdesign.com 540-454-2040 382 E. Hood Ave. NOT 541 For many of us holidays are made meaning- ful by spending time with the people we love most. We build traditions and memories defined by our loved ones playing special roles in help- ing to make the season bright. Someone hangs the Christmas lights, carves the turkey, deco- rates the home, prepares our favorite foods, eats the cookies, lights the candles, or what- ever holiday traditions we may value. We come to anticipate these traditions, and it therefore can be especially difficult when those tradi- tions and memories are disrupted after a loss. Feelings of togetherness and celebration can seem unreachable. The holidays may become a time of pain rather than joy. Grief is felt more intensely during the holi- day season. It may be hard to conceive of joy when a loved one that seemed to make the holidays meaningful is no longer with us. It can be difficult observing the joy and connec- tions others may have when we might feel sad, angry, and/or lonely. We may feel the need to withdraw and isolate as socializing can feel uncomfortable or burdensome. Seasonal depression may be amplified as the winter months not only signify shorter days, but also grief and loss. There is no right way to grieve. Coping with grief is a unique and individualized jour- ney. It is important that we give both ourselves and others the grace and space to process loss without judgment or expectation. We often have our vision of what the holi- day season “should be.” After losing someone we love it may seem that vision and the joy tied to it may never again be replicated. For one person it may be helpful to take a “year off” from the holidays and take time to pro- cess, while another person may find it help- ful to celebrate the holidays and build new traditions. While losing someone can forever change the holiday season, it is possible that feelings of joy can in time begin to trickle back into our holiday experience. Embracing grief and the emotions associ- ated with it can help begin the healing process, but this can also be overwhelming. The holi- days can be a time we may want to numb the pain associated with grieving. Consider reach- ing out to social supports or asking for profes- sional help. Consider volunteering or finding ways to help others, which can shine perspective on our grief and help us feel connected. After losing someone, we can often feel that by experiencing joy we are somehow not hon- oring those we have lost. Consider honoring those who have passed by lighting a candle, telling a story, or making their favorite food. In this way we can take part in memorializ- ing their legacy and continue to include their spirit(s) in our holiday traditions. It is also OK to create new traditions and new memories that may be different from years past, but still meaningful. Regardless of how you feel about the holi- day season, know that whether those feelings are positive or negative, you are not alone. Please see below for a list of grief support groups in the Central Oregon area. CENTRAL OREGON GRIEF SUPPORT GROUPS Partners In Care Bend Adult and children’s support groups 541-382-5882 Grief Share Faith-based grief support groups. Multiple Central Oregon locations. www.griefshare.org St. Charles Hospice 541-706-6700 Redmond Hospice 541-548-7483 Good Grief Guidance Bend goodgriefguidance@gmail.com Alpaca Country Etates Come Meet Baby Alpacas Free! at Alpaca Country C o untry Estates Es s t a tes s E Holiday Open House Nov. - Jan., Mon. - Sat., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Open Christmas until noon) Unique alpaca gift s using our alpaca fi ber woven into apparel, rugs & more. Come take a tour of the ranch. AlpacaCountryEstates@yahoo.com 541-504-4226 6 70397 Buckhorn Rd., Terrebonne Just 20 min rs ut ! es from Siste Alpaca Country Estates Ranch and Bed & Breakfast is a working alpaca ranch. Our herd, which began with the pur- chase of six lovable Huacaya alpacas in 2006, is now over 1,000 strong. The ranch offers breathtaking views of the Cascade mountains, and includes a bed and breakfast, fashion design company, artistry classroom, and boutique store. We have been rewarded with color champions and reserve champions in black, grey, brown, fawn, and white. From our magnificent alpaca fiber, we create luscious, soft yarn, woven garments/blankets, and alpaca fiber-filled quilts, bringing to you some of the finest products in the Northwest. Nancy and Art Izer would love for you to visit their pic- turesque ranch in Terrebonne, where they produce their own hay, strive for a green planet, design alpaca clothing/quilts, and have top-line alpacas of every color for you to choose from! We pride ourselves on sharing our knowledge with new alpaca owners who want to get started in the business.
