Grief and the Holidays with Jim Santucci & Beth Keller of Kara

“The decisions that you make this year don’t have to be the same that you make next year. Nothing’s necessarily permanent. It’s not about creating a permanence as much as it’s doing what feels right and works for you now. And that may change over time, and it’s okay that it does.”

— Jim Santucci

I had such a great discussion with Jim Santucci and Beth Keller of Kara for this episode. I’ve heard from a lot of listeners with questions and worry about the upcoming holidays, so in this episode we dive deep on the topic of grief and the holidays.

Some topics we cover include:

• Kara’s grief support services for kids and adults in the Palo Alto, California, area;

• Kara’s peer support volunteer program;

• It’s common for widowed parents to be worried about how to handle the holidays;

• Common stresses around holiday cards – both sending & receiving;

• Why traditions and rituals are comforting for kids;

• Why widowed parents shouldn’t be tempted to cancel Christmas;

• The importance of talking with your kids and teens about holiday plans rather than making assumptions and unilateral decisions;

• Enlisting help from family & friends with holiday decorating, baking, etc;

• Juggling the needs and wishes of multiple kids;

• Managing the expectations of other people; and

• Ideas for honoring and remembering our loved ones at the holidays.

I hope you enjoy my discussion with Jim Santucci and Beth Keller of Kara.

Links & resources for this episode

• Kara’s web site

• Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive, by Allison Gilbert

• My discussion with Allison Gilbert

More links for listeners

• Download: Kids & Grief: What You Need to Know

• Article: I’m a Widowed Mom: Here Are My 3 Tips for COVID-19 Widows

• Book: Widowed Parents Unite: 52 Tips to Get Through the First Year, from One Widowed Parent to Another

Thank you sponsors & partners:

Help Texts - Grief support text messaging service. Tips and support delivered all year long, personalized based on your loss. Listeners get $10 off: https://helptexts.com/jennylisk

BetterHelp - Talk with a licensed, professional therapist online. Get 10% off your first month: betterhelp.com/widowedparent

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