For those dealing with loss — be it the death of a loved one or pet, divorce or unemployment — the holidays can be an especially depressing and even stressful time.
 
“For some, the holidays are reminder of loss and loneliness,” said Maurya Glaude, a practicing licensed clinical social worker, clinical supervisor and professor of practice at the Tulane University School of Social Work. “The idea of celebrating a holiday after losing a loved one can be a painful experience and may evoke sentiment and thoughts of past memories.