It’s mid-January. Our Christmas trees and decorations down. A few stragglers still have some work to do here, and some just don’t want it all to be over so soon. This was a short Christmas season. Thanksgiving came at the end of the month rather than at the end of the third week, and that made the usual rush of the holidays so fast that they seemed to end before we had our homes and apartments decorated.

For many people, the letdown has come. Christmas brings joy, but for many people it is a very hard time. For those of us who lost family or loved ones, the first Christmas is so hard. We lost our oldest child, a son, to brain cancer this past April. We aren’t alone. We all know widows and widowers, those whose marriages died, who lost parents, boyfriends, girlfriends, businesses, jobs, pets. The list is long. And for many, the losses are not from this year, but from years back, and this time of year brings it all to life again.

Then there are people who are lonely. Another Christmas unmarried, without a relationship, maybe totally alone. Some are childless for another year.  Some people don’t know why they are sad during the holidays; they just are. There is an old saying that no one is useful to others who does not walk with a limp. I’ve had many of these experiences, and know the emotions they bring, and I know there is hope and healing that can be found.

If you are feeling sadness this post-holiday season, I’d love to help. Sadness and even depressed feelings are normal and nothing to be ashamed of. Taking care of yourself, and giving the appropriate care to your mental health is important no matter the time of year. Please give me a call, or fill out a contact form if you’re seeking a mental health counselor in or near Palatine.