READER'S ROCK LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE VOL 2 ISSUE 4 NOVEMBER 2014 VOL 2 ISSUE 6 - JAN-FEB 2015 | Page 55

The amazingly simple psychology of
successful New Year's resolutions
(BPT) - The holidays are meant to be a
joyous time. But for someone dealing with
grief, celebrations can be extremely difficult.
If you are grieving over a recent loss, or one
that happened years ago, experts say there are
things you can do to make facing the
demands and the expectations of the holidays
a little easier.
"There are no rules on how to deal with grief
during the holidays," says South University,
West Palm Beach Master of Arts in Clinical
Mental Health Counseling Program Director,
Dr. Denny Cecil-Van Den Heuvel. "You g et
to decide what is best for you."
Cecil-Van Den Heuvel speaks from both
personal and professional experience. In
addition to her university duties, she is also in
private practice where she helps patients deal
with loss and life's struggles. She also

experienced a great loss of her own. Twentysix years ago, her husband was killed in a
plane crash, leaving her to raise their 5-yearold son alone. She was just 31.
“It's not easy being a widow or having a
family member die, because people watch
you and make judgments about you and about
how you are coping with loss," says Dr.
Cecil-Van Den Heuvel. "You're not supposed
to get over it. You don't get over loss. You
integrate the loss into your life so you
become stronger and wiser. You understand
the value of life more from your losses."
Cecil-Van Den Heuvel has advice on how to
handle your grief during the holidays.
Honor your loved one