When you’re grieving the death of a family member or friend, you may dread the holiday season.

Thoughts of social gatherings, family traditions and obligations leave you anxious and overwhelmed.

Your sadness can seem unbearable. You may wish you could skip these next two months and go straight to the routine of the next year — but you can’t. What can you do to lessen your stress and loneliness?

When you are grieving a loved one’s death, the holiday season can be especially painful.  Our Surviving the Holidays seminar helps participants discover:

*How to deal with emotions

*What to do about traditions

*Helpful tips for surviving social events

*How to find hope for the future

A GriefShare Surviving the Holidays seminar, held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at Parkway Baptist Church will offer practical, actionable strategies for making it through the holiday season.

At this two-hour seminar, you’ll view a video featuring advice from people in grief who’ve faced the holidays after their loss.

You’ll hear insights from respected Christian counselors, pastors, and psychologists.

You’ll receive a Holiday Survival Guide with practical strategies, encouraging words, helpful exercises, questions and answers, and journaling ideas for daily survival through the holiday season.

At GriefShare Surviving the Holidays, you’ll meet with other grieving people who have an understanding of what you’re going through. They won’t judge you or force you to share, but will accept you where you are and will offer comfort and support.

Your holiday season won’t be easy; your emotions may ambush you and suck you under at times. But you can choose to walk through this season in a way that honors your loved one and puts you on the path of health and healing.

We look forward to seeing you at our annual Surviving the Holidays seminar at Parkway Baptist Church. We will meet in the Oasis, which can be accessed from the lower parking lot.

To register or find out more about GriefShare Surviving the Holidays, call Debbie at 601-807-9738 or sign up to register at www.griefshare.org.

Debbie Mizell is a coordinator for GreifShare at Parkway Baptist Church in Natchez.