December Grief Journaling Prompts
What happens when this time of year doesn’t live up to all it’s built up to be?
For many, December is the “holiday season: and there might be expectations of merriment and cheer. After a year full of change, grief, and loss, how do you reconcile with the joy expected and associated with this season?
As a bereavement music therapist, I’ve increasingly found myself discussing this dichotomy with my clients as the holidays approach. Grief feelings are heightened this time of the year, and for many, their loss has been highlighted due to the different restrictions or precautions taken due to the current pandemic.
Here’s the truth: you don’t have to feel merry or cheerful & it’s okay not to meet the false expectations of this season.
My music therapy colleague and friend, Nicole Moore of Aspire Music Therapy, have spent some time talking about this, and wanted to share some resources we’ve created to reflect on this year’s happenings, this season, and our feelings.
We want to acknowledge that your feelings are valid and you can have a voice amidst the noise of the season. You are not alone in grieving your losses or grappling with loneliness this year or any other. We understand these may be hard things to process, and if you are a helping professional like us, difficult to discuss with those you support. We want to support you by providing some resources.
Included are some musical and non-musical journaling prompts, created to reflect on the losses and changes that we might have gone through this year. They are designed in such a way that they can be used during music therapy sessions, by other helping professionals, or even for (your own) self-reflection.
Find these free resources here ↓
More Journaling Prompts
After you complete the grief journaling prompts I provide to you on this blog post, you might want to check these out too:
About me:
I’m a therapist (MSW) and music therapist (MT-BC) for women & teens at Transcendence Counseling Center in Vero Beach, FL and I am also available to provide counseling services via Telehealth across Florida. If you are interested in collaboratively working with me in therapy, you’re welcome to learn more about me and my approach here or schedule an appointment with me here.