Holiday Grief and Emotional Health: 5 Somatic Practices for Stress Relief

Gentle, somatic practices to ease stress, honor your loss, and care for your emotional well-being this season.

The holidays are often portrayed as a season of joy, celebration, and togetherness — but for many, they can also stir up feelings of grief, loneliness, or overwhelm. Whether you’re navigating the loss of a loved one, a major life transition, or simply the weight of expectations, it’s normal to feel out of sync with the “holiday spirit.” The truth is, even amidst twinkling lights and cheerful gatherings, emotional health can feel fragile. The good news is that there are gentle, embodied ways to care for yourself during this season.

Below are five somatic and mindful ways to protect your emotional health during the holidays — practices that invite compassion, grounding, and connection back into your body and heart.

1. Set Realistic Expectations
It’s easy to feel pressure to make the holidays perfect — to host the ideal gathering, find the right gifts, or recreate traditions that no longer feel the same. Give yourself permission to do less this year. Let “good enough” be enough.
Practice Tip: Try placing a hand over your heart, taking a slow breath, and asking your body, “What feels manageable today?” Let your breath guide your boundaries. Releasing perfectionism allows your nervous system to settle and your heart to focus on what truly matters: moments of connection, not performance.

2. Prioritize Somatic Self-Care
Your body holds the story of your grief. Tending to it is a powerful way to support emotional healing. Protect your energy by prioritizing rest, nourishing foods, and gentle movement.
Practice Tip: Incorporate a simple somatic ritual each day — maybe three deep belly breaths upon waking, a slow stretch before bed, or a mindful walk outside. Movement helps regulate your nervous system, reminding your body that it’s safe to soften and rest, even in a season that often demands so much.

3. Maintain Healthy Boundaries
Family gatherings and social events can sometimes trigger old patterns or reopen wounds. It’s okay to say no — to limit time, skip certain conversations, or create space when needed.
Practice Tip: Before entering a social space, pause and notice how your body feels. Are your shoulders tight? Is your breath shallow? A few grounding breaths or a gentle shake of your hands can release tension and help you stay connected to yourself. Your body will tell you when enough is enough — listen to it with compassion.

4. Stay Connected (in Healthy Ways)
Connection is vital for healing, but it’s also important to choose connections that feel supportive. Reach out to people who make you feel seen and safe — perhaps a friend, a support group, or a grief circle.
Practice Tip: If you start to feel overstimulated, use a grounding exercise: place your feet firmly on the floor, feel your breath in your belly, and name five things you can see. This anchors you in the present moment and allows you to reconnect from a place of calm rather than depletion.

5. Seek Professional and Embodied Support When Needed
If feelings of sadness or overwhelm persist, reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Therapists, coaches, or somatic practitioners can offer compassionate tools for regulation and emotional processing.
Practice Tip: Somatic grief support combines mindfulness, movement, and nervous system awareness to help you move through emotions — rather than get stuck in them. Working with a professional can create a safe container for both your pain and your healing to unfold.

Bringing It All Together
Somatic movement, breathwork, and mindfulness are gentle pathways back to yourself. They help you regulate your nervous system, ease holiday stress, and honor both your grief and your growth. By tuning into your body’s wisdom, you create space for moments of peace, even amid uncertainty.

If you’re seeking support this season, I invite you to join an upcoming Embodied Grief Circle or schedule a 1:1 Embodied Grief Support Session. Together, we’ll explore how somatic awareness and mindful presence can help you protect your emotional health and find grounded peace through the holidays.

Dawn M. Geoppinger is a Trauma-Informed Grief & Embodiment Coach based in Portland, Oregon, with a strong foundation of over two decades of professional experience in public administration, education, and the nonprofit sector. She specializes in grief education, somatic movement, breathwork, and mindfulness, integrating evidence-based approaches such as somatic practices, post-traumatic growth and woman-centered principles to help clients reconnect with themselves, regulate their nervous systems, and honor the full spectrum of loss and healing. Through her practice, The Embodied Grief Journey™, Dawn provides compassionate, expert support both in person and online—creating safe, nurturing spaces for individuals to explore grief, resilience, and embodied healing.

Take a moment for yourself this holiday season. Connect with a supportive Embodied Grief Circle or book a private 1:1 session to learn gentle, embodied tools for navigating grief, regulating your nervous system, and finding grounded calm.