The Empty Chair: Experiencing Loss at the Holidays
Service Offers Support and Reflection for People in Distress
Denver –November 29, 2007– Families who have experienced the death of a loved one may find that the empty chair is a painful reminder of their loss this holiday season. While the holiday season is not the time of year when suicide rates increase - the highest time is actually in the spring - it is a time when some people feel a stark contrast between their internal emotional state (depression, grief, or stress) and their surroundings. Some people find it hard to get needed support when the rest of the world appears to be celebrating. For the third year, The Carson J Spencer Foundation and Regis University will be co-sponsoring a Holiday Healing Candlelight Ceremony at Jefferson Unitarian Church (Golden, Colorado) to give people support and a time for reflection during the holiday season. The interfaith service is free and open to the public and will be held on Monday, December 17th at 7:00pm.
"The first few years after the loss of a loved one can be especially difficult during the holidays," mentions Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas, a psychologist and survivor of her brother's suicide. "Families sometimes just need to get through each day and create new traditions that honor the past and find hope for the future.
Spencer-Thomas acknowledges that for some, the "holiday spirit," support from family, and the religious community may act as protective factors during this holidays; however, she stresses, this does not mean that the issues of suicide and depression should be overlooked. For many, the holidays are a time of loneliness and anxiety about the future. Financial stresses often mount during this period of great spending, and family time can bring up as much conflict as togetherness. For families who have experienced a death, the holidays are a painful reminder of the absence of a loved one.
On Monday, December 17th at 7:00pm, people who may be having a hard time this holiday season will be gathering together for reflection and support. Jefferson Unitarian Church will join the small but growing number of religious communities providing this type of service. For more information contact, Jefferson Unitarian Church (303-279-5282 www.jeffersonunitarian.org) or Sally Spencer-Thomas (720-244-6535 Sally@CarsonJSpencer.org) .
About the Carson J Spencer Foundation - Sustaining a Passion for Life
The Carson J Spencer Foundation (www.CarsonJSpencer.org) is a Colorado nonprofit, established in 2005. We envision a world where leaders and communities are committed to sustaining a passion for life. We sustain a passion for life through:
*funding social enterprise for sustainable mental health initiatives
*delivering innovative suicide prevention programs targeting the working age population
*supporting the education of emerging entrepreneurs and leaders
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