Athens News Matters: Dealing with loss during the holidays

We often hear that the “true meaning” of the holiday season is not gifts and parties, but the memories made with family and friends. And while we know that close ties with loved ones don’t guarantee a happy holiday, falling short of that ideal can cause guilt and stress. For those whose families are fractured by death, divorce, estrangement, or other loss, holiday season can be not just stressful, but traumatic. We’ll talk with a counselor about how to cope when the holidays bring more “grief and loss” than “comfort and joy.”