Local Grief Group To Hold Candlelight Vigil

By CORINNE MESSER

The Progress

The holiday season can be an extremely difficult time for those who have lost someone. Brooke’s Good Deeds, in partnership with the Logandale Grief Group, will be holding a candlelight vigil to honor departed loved ones. The vigil will be held on Thursday, Dec 22 from 4-6 pm at Brooke’s Good Deeds, 3475 N. Moapa Valley Blvd. in Logandale. All are welcome.

Attendees are welcome to bring a photo of their deceased loved one. Light refreshments will be served following the vigil.

Kimberley Witter, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT), who is also facilitator for the Logandale Grief Group, offers some tips to navigate the holidays for those mourning a loss. “Sometimes when we lose a loved one we tend to grieve in isolation,” Witter said. “But isolation is an actual health risk, so it’s likely best to find a few small ways to connect to others.”

Witter said that grief is a necessary part of the mourning process, because of the deep love we have felt for another human being.

It is common for people to wonders how long they will grieve a loss of this kind. According to Grief Specialist, David Kessler, “We will grieve as long as we will not have our loved one with us. However, the pain will become less intense over time as more good memories come to us to sustain and heal us.”
Witter said that losing a loved one during the holidays can make those times painful as traditions are repeated that used to bring so much joy. “It’s okay to change the tradition and create new ones that are positive,” she said. “Nothing has to be customary if it’s too emotionally hard.”

Witter also points out that people tend to have high expectations of themselves during the holidays. But that is not always necessary. “It is helpful to pause during the day to feel our sorrow,” she said. “Allowing ourselves those emotions will allow us to heal.”

“Remember that losing a loved one doesn’t mean our relationship with them has ended,” Witter added. “Our relationship continues. We can celebrate this daily, during and after the holiday season, in personal, small meaningful ways.”

The Moapa Valley Grief Group FaceBook page offers help to grieving people in navigating through the holidays.

Kimberley Witter is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) practicing in Mesquite and Logandale. Appointments can be made by calling 435-688-1111 or by scheduling online at ascendsw.com.