In her article for The Conversation Canada, Dr. Heather MacIntosh goes through some of the reasons why the holiday season can be so difficult for individuals with a history of trauma. In this helpful article, she describes how painful, complex, and confusing this time of year can be for many, all presently heightened of course by the pandemic. These difficult feelings are in contrast to the messages we all receive about holidays being a time of joy and togetherness, where the expectations are to be “merry and bright”. Dr. MacIntosh offers survivors a list of strategies to help get through this loaded time of year, including self-compassion, other-compassion, healthy escapism, being present, making new traditions, giving yourself permission to grieve, and being kind to yourself. You can find the link to the article here.
