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Attending to Grief Amidst the Holidays

By David McCallum

curiousity emotions Grief holidays interconnectedness Managing Stress mental health

Posted: December 22, 2025

Grief often amplifies within our systems during the holiday season. From an Internal Family Systems (IFS) perspective, grief is not a problem to solve—it is made up of many parts that carry love, loss, and longing. The following prompts gently invite you to meet your grieving parts with compassion and curiousity over the holiday season.

“When Summer Slips Away”: Holding Personal & Global Grief with IFS

By David McCallum

seasons mental health Self Awareness

Enjoying Life self compassion Grief

Posted: August 18, 2025

There is something undeniably tender about late summer; the golden light, the weight of warm air, the growing awareness that something is ending, even as the world still hums along. As August turns the corner, many of us begin to notice the quiet ache of grieving parts within our systems – some of these may be harder for us to name. They might be cued by the sadness of summer fading, or the anticipation of what's ahead. Or, it could be something even deeper: a mix of personal and global sorrow that feels too much for our systems to hold all at once.

Midwinter Warmth

By David McCallum

mental health

internal family systems Grief Winter self compassion

Posted: January 19, 2025

The winter months in the temperate world can be a challenging time for many. With increased darkness, colder temperatures, and perhaps lower energy and mood, these months often seem imbued with a sense of grief. I’d invite you to consider your own experience of winter.

The gift of validation

By David McCallum

seasons

Enjoying Life Grief internal family systems mental health Relationships trauma holidays self compassion

Posted: December 1, 2024

The Gift of Validation What are you noticing within your system as we approach the holiday season? Perhaps there is some anticipation of extended time and space to more intentionally relax and connect with loved ones. There may also be some trepidation about what those relational dynamics may look and feel like. Grief in its many forms can manifest as well. Whatever you notice, before, during and after the season, know that all of it is welcome. You do not have to feel a certain way around the holidays, even though there may be expectations (familial and societal) to do so. You have a choice.

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