Loss is an inevitable part of life, and grief is a natural part of the healing process. Loss usually causes a lot of pain and scars us very deeply.We all have different ways of coping with loss, but so many of us leave the wounds without proper treatment. Proper self-care is extremely important when going through loss.

Dealing with it will allow you to free yourself from pain and help you rediscover life and peace again. There are many options available in order to assist those dealing with the pain of loss. Those are support groups, organization resources, grief workshops, church events, individual counseling etc. Usually counselors offer grief support around the holidays as it is a a very tough time for those undergoing this difficult life transition.

Holidays remind us of the special times with our loved one, happier times and special memories. They also bring on difficult emotions and awareness to the foreground of our minds. In our culture, where a typical happy family is widely promoted and accepted, there seems to be no room left for the REAL and true families and individuals, suffering in silence and having to pretend that everything is all right. We feel shame for our feelings and think that we have to hide them, tuck them away deep inside ourselves, where nobody can see them. Yet in the quiet of the night, when none can see us, we hurt, cry and mourn losses.

Are we expected to "just forget about it and move on"?The answer is NO. Every one of us has to go through the ever-changing encounter with death as part of the natural cycle. Every one of us experiences loss at some point in our lives. And every one of us deals with it in our own unique way. There is no time frame, there are no set of rules.

The key is to get in touch with it, see it, live it and accept it. Methods like Art Therapy, Expressive Arts, SoulCollage(R) are excellent pathways for getting in touch with out inner selves, our feelings and those things that haunt us. Please take care of yourself this holidays season and fund support in your grieving.

Building and maintaining a business or a striving practice can be tough and all-consuming. Being intuitive, giving and selfless individuals that we are, we often forget to care for our own selves.

We lose ourselves in helping others, fulfilling our purpose in life, sometimes disregarding that voice inside that is begging us to slow down, to smell the roses, to pay attention, to love and care.

So what are some easy ways to care for one’s precious and beautiful self?

Live! Colorado is a magical place full of splendor and magnificence. The warm sunny days cradle us, smile at us daily and call for us to take pleasure in them. Take a stroll each day. Devote a few minutes to smelling the fresh air and enjoying the sunshine on your face. Stop and look around you to notice the endless beauty of every season we are so lucky to enjoy. Close your eyes and open your heart to the glorious exquisiteness of nature and the wonderful world that surrounds you!

Allow yourself some time each day to meditate and dream. You can do this anywhere: in the shower, while eating a meal, walking down the street, or sitting at your desk between sessions. It can be done in many different ways, being conscious of your breath and body, staying present in the moment.

Laugh! Find some way to put a smile on your precious face daily. It can be as simple as looking at an inspirational desk calendar or exposing yourself to cheeky and always innocent faces of children, spending time with all-accepting and happy pets, or just being or playing outside. Have a rewarding and meaningful conversation with a friend, family member or coworker. Listen to your intuition, unleash your creativity and let it flow through you filling you and the world with love.

Love! Don’t forget to pause and enjoy the warm feeling your work brings. Marvel in the warm and sweet sensation it creates inside your soul, if only for a minute. You are changing the world, making it a better place. You are the vessel of love and splendor, the key to the door of growth and transformation, the beautiful tree of life. Treat yourself with respect and adoration you deserve.

If you are struggling with infertility or have gone through a pregnancy/baby loss, you are not alone (even though it may seem like you are). Ten to 15 percent of couples in the United States are infertile. As many as 40 percent of all pregnancies may end in miscarriage or pregnancy loss.
There never seem to be enough proper resources to support so many women who are longing for a child, but are not able to have one for some unfair or unknown reason...
Others around us usually do not know what to say and how to properly support a woman and a couple in need.It can sometimes be difficult to feel fully understood by people who have never experience such a loss.For this reason, people dealing with infertility are encouraged to join infertility support groups for help. Infertility/loss support groups can offer an understanding and informative place for you to discuss your experiences with infertility and loss.
Infertility support groups can offer:
Resources: Infertility support groups often provide members with resources and information about dealing with fertility and various fertility treatments.
Hope: Support groups work to foster positive feelings and inspire hope in those suffering from infertility. This hope will help you to move on in your fertility journey.
Understanding: Many people dealing with infertility feel as though they are not fully understood by those around them. Fertility support groups are made up of people who are experiencing similar situations and who will be able to understand just what you are going through.
Friendship: Support groups can help foster lasting friendships that will benefit you in the years to come.
Finding an Infertility Support Group
RESOLVE is an organization which provides numerous resources for couples struggling with infertility.
March of Dimes provides resources for premature baby loss.
sometimes has listings of support groups in your area.Many churches offer support groups for infertility and baby loss.

As someone who has been struggling with infertility for years and have gone through several losses, I would definitely recommend finding support either through a group or individual counseling.Suffering alone is not an option this holiday season!