grief awareness

Christmas tree brunch decorated with a heart hanging on it, and the title Gentle Guide for Grievers on Journeyofsmiley blog

When Christmas Feels Hard: A Gentle Guide for Grieving Hearts

Christmas can stir up a thousand emotions — gratitude, joy, nostalgia — but also deep sorrow for what has changed. If this Christmas feels quieter, heavier, or lonelier, or if you find Christmas hard when grieving, please know this: you’re not alone. I understand, I’ve been there, too. I remember my first Christmas without my …

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A flower buds on the ground and next to it is the title Grief without closure on Journeyofsmiley.com

What if You’re Grieving What’s Still Here? Understanding Ambiguous Loss

“No one warned me that surviving my accident would mean grieving a life that never actually ended, rather an ambiguous loss, lingering quietly beneath the surface.” My traumaversary Today marks my fifth traumaversary – five years since the accident that changed my life in a split second. Five years ago, I was hit by a …

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Two people sitting at a table, holding cups of coffee, and the title is From Grievers, For Grievers on Journeyofsmiley.com

What Grievers Really Need: How to Support Others and Yourself Through Grief

Grief is not a problem to solve. It’s a reality we must live through – sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly, sometimes both at once. When someone you love is grieving, it’s natural to want to support them. And yet when you’re grieving yourself, it can feel impossible to ask for support, let alone accept it. In …

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