Tulsa Chaplain Offers Tips For Handling Holiday Grief

This time of the year is a joyful time for most families, but if you've lost a loved one recently, it can be very difficult.  It's a tough topic, but Ken Bachelor, chaplain at Grace Hospice, explains how you can cope with grief during the holidays.

Even if some time has passed since you lost the loved one, the holidays can make grief return or make it harder to deal with. People struggle with the feeling that there's an "empty chair" at the table, Bachelor said. So it's important to give yourself permission to experience the holidays in a new way and not feel the pressure to please everyone in your life. 

Bachelor offers the following tips for coping with grief during the holidays:

• Accept feelings of grief and don't be afraid to ask for help
• Discuss how to handle long-standing family traditions
• Start a new tradition in memory of loved one
• Saying no to an invite is okay, but don't isolate yourself

Grace Hospice offers free support meetings. Call 918-744-7223 for more information.