The Holidays While Grieving
When everyone else is celebrating and you're just trying to get through the day
This is for you.
A free, compassionate holiday guide to help you right now, at your own pace.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
WHAT YOU'LL GET:
Inside this FREE resource, you'll discover:
Before the Holidays (2-4 weeks out): Preparing emotionally and setting expectations, ways to do things differently, and scripts for "the conversation" with family.
The Week Before: Your emergency coping kit, self-care prep that actually matters, and meaningful ways to honor your loved one.
The Day Itself: Strategies to get through, what to say when people ask "How are you?", handling the empty chair, and navigating triggers as they come.
After the Holiday: Understanding the post-holiday crash, releasing guilt about moments of joy, and what to note for next year.
Special Situations: First holidays vs. subsequent years, grieving alone, navigating multiple holidays in one season, and caring for children while grieving.
WHO IS THIS FOR :
This guide is for you if…
The holidays feel heavier than you expected
This is your first holiday season without someone you love
Or it’s your second or third — and it still hurts just as much
You’re exhausted by pretending to be okay
You want gentle guidance without pressure or platitudes
A note from my heart to yours
The first holiday without them feels impossible.
If you're feeling anxious about facing family gatherings, angry that everyone expects you to "be okay" by now, or exhausted from pretending you're fine, that's not weakness. That's grief. And you deserve support that actually helps.
Everything inside this free guide comes from lived experience, grief research, and conversations with hundreds of grieving hearts. It’s real, practical, and deeply compassionate. I wrote this resource after navigating my own first Christmas after loss. It was a season full of triggers, empty chairs, and emotional landmines I didn’t see coming.
This is the kind of support I desperately needed at the beginning.
Now I’m passing it on to you. Supportive suggestions with clear steps to help you navigate this season in the way that feels most manageable for you.
Countless grieving hearts have downloaded my guides and found comfort and help in the hardest seasons of their lives.
Become one of them today.
You don’t have to go through this alone.
Simply enter your email below to receive your copy of “The Holidays While Grieving”. Take the first steps towards getting through this season. You don’t have to do this alone.
Your privacy is important. We will never share your information.
Why This Guide Helps
If the holidays feel heavy this year… you are not imagining it. Grief changes everything.
I have lived through it.
The music, that used to feel magical, now triggers tears. The empty chair at the table says more than anyone can bear to speak. Standing in a store staring at the decorations and forgetting why you were even there. The world keeps moving, but we feel numb, exhausted, overwhelmed.
If you feel anything like that right now, I want you to know this: what you are experiencing is deeply human.
I see you. And you deserve support without pressure.
This resource was created to meet you exactly where you are, offering a simple, concrete plan, with understanding and practical support to help you get through this season in the way that feels right for you.
What happens when you download this guide:
Instead of: Feeling paralyzed and unprepared as the holidays approach
You'll have: A clear action plan for before, during, and after difficult days
Instead of: Forcing yourself to "be normal" and having a meltdown
You'll have: Permission to do things differently + an exit strategy when you need it
Instead of: Not knowing what to say when people ask intrusive questions
You'll have: Word-for-word scripts that protect your heart
Thank you for this, it's going to help many through their grief. Well done.
- Shirley T.
Denise, you are and will be making a difference in the lives of many!
- Billy Joe A.
Thank you for giving voice to grief.
- Ruhie V.
If you’re here, I want you to know I truly understand.
Losing someone you love is a pain unlike any other, yet it’s often something society doesn’t talk about enough.
It feels like a part of you is gone, and no matter how much we think we can prepare ourselves; nothing truly prepares for the pain.
If you are going through a loss right now, I want you to know how deeply sorry I am. But you don’t have to go through this alone.
Grief is a storm that touches every part of our lives, but even in the darkest moments, there are ways to find light, hope, and comfort.
If you are grieving, I want you to know that I see you. I know the weight of loss, the moments that feel too heavy to carry. I have been there too.
That is why I created this resource, to share what I learnt in my journey to help those grieving. To offer comfort, support, and help that even in the darkest times, there is a way forward.
With lot's of warmth and understanding,
Denise Ackerman
Author, Grief & Healing Advocate, Coach
You don’t have to go through this alone.
Simply enter your email below to receive your free copy of “The Holidays While Grieving” and take the first steps towards healing. You don’t have to do this alone. Let this guide be your companion on the road to recovery.
Your privacy is important. We will never share your information.
🌱 Let's Stay Connected.
If you are walking through grief or supporting someone who is… you are not alone.
Sign up to receive early access to new resources and gentle support for grieving hearts.
If my content has touched you, helped you, or simply made you feel seen, you can support my work with a coffee (or a few ☕️).
It helps me keep doing this heart-led work. ❤️ Link below: www.buymeacoffee.com/deniseackerman
Take a breath… and take this with you.
If grief feels like too much right now, this FREE guide might help. From Grief to Peace is for anyone struggling with life after loss.
A gentle companion for your healing heart. Would you like me to send it your way?
Your privacy matters. Your email address is 100% secure