WTH Pathways

12/26/2025

“I don’t know if you remember me…”

12/25/2025

Is this your first holiday without a certain loved one?

We see you.

You’ve got this.

For the bereaved, getting through the holidays means figuring out how—and whether—to celebrate as in years past, Mikala Jamison wrote in 2018.
https://theatln.tc/kziATefQ

“After the death of a loved one, a season of indulgent celebration can feel perverse to the bereaved,” Jamison wrote. “While the logistics of holiday travel, meals, and gifts can be tricky for just about anyone to navigate, grieving people may also grapple with an array of unfamiliar emotions and unenviable practical considerations, whether it’s the anxiety of gathering in a different place, whether to decorate the home as in previous years, or, simply, how to get through it all without their loved one around.”

Rachel Gebler Greenberg of Hermosa Beach, California, lost her husband, Glenn, in March 2013. She told Jamison that she remembers lying low during the first few holidays. With family scattered all over the country, the prospect of traveling became especially difficult—one time, she arrived at Los Angeles International Airport and broke down at baggage claim, realizing that Glenn wouldn’t be there to greet her.

Experts said some proven strategies can help people move forward from the sadness, irrespective of how fresh the feelings are, Jamison continues. The impulse to clam up about the deceased at a family dinner isn’t necessarily the best move. Mari Itzkowitz, a clinical therapist at the Center for Loss and Renewal in Alexandria, Virginia, said that talking about loved ones is key. “Light a candle, say the names, bring the people into the room,” Itzkowitz told Jamison. “You’re the one to bring it in, you’re the one to bring it up, which then gives people permission to celebrate the joy.” In other words, “you’re allowed to feel really bad.”

Another key to working through grief, Itzkowitz said, is figuring out new rituals and traditions—breaking the “normal” habits of the holidays can be an illuminating experience for those in mourning.

📸: Tom Merton / Getty

12/25/2025

You’ve got this!

Here’s some practical TED advice for conquering the holidays even if you’re feeling lonely.

The holidays are going to be challenging, with some of us still separated from the people and traditions we love — but there are still ways to find joy, says psychologist Adia Gooden PhD.

12/24/2025

12/24/2025

The holiday season can be especially challenging for people in recovery—but support makes a real difference.

These 10 ways to support loved ones in recovery focus on encouragement, boundaries, practical help, and compassion—because small actions matter for ourselves and those we love.

11/29/2025

Timm Chiusano was having one of the worst days of his career when he found himself inexplicably fascinated by a mundane part of the world on his walk home. That moment sparked a life-changing realization: he was addicted to appreciation, and it was actually his superpower. He shares a disarmingly si...

10/23/2025

💊In 2023, 8% of su***de deaths in Tennessee were linked to poisoning from substances like prescription medications.

This National Prescription Drug Take Back Day (Saturday, October 25, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.), TDH encourages you to safely dispose of expired, unused, or unwanted medications.

Substance Use Prevention Coalitions across Tennessee are hosting 100+ events where you can turn in medications safely and anonymously.

🔗 Find a site near you: https://tntogether.com/takebackday
🔗 Learn more: https://www.dea.gov/takebackday

10/23/2025

10/23/2025

10/23/2025

10/23/2025