Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12th! I straight up struggle with this day. And if you’ve found your way here, you might struggle, too.
You are not alone. For those of us with complex trauma and PTSD from childhood abuse, family-centered holidays are – at best – complicated.
Here are some resources for upcoming Mother’s Day.
What I’m Offering This Friday
Mother’s Day Mourning – It recently occurred to me that I’ve not *named* my Mother’s Day mourning. What I’m grieving. What I had. What I didn’t have. What I miss.
On Friday morning (May 10th, 9 am to 11 am PST), I will be doing a writing exercise I am calling “Mourning Mother’s Day” and I’m opening this up for people to join me. We’ll chat about Mother’s day grief, do some guided writing, do some sharing (IF you want to, not required), and ground ourselves before moving on with our day. Confidential and safe environment. Donation only.
I’m doing this anyway, would love to have company. (If you haven’t written or worked with me before, this will be a good intro). Email kelly@mapyourhealing.com and I’ll send you the zoom link.
SIDE NOTE: If you’re in the Portland area, come by my booth at the Spring Has Sprung Artisan Market! I would love to see you and it will be a nice Mother’s Day weekend service outing, as we are fundraising for NAMI.
More Mother’s Day Resources
Why your mother can’t understand you: Exploring Emotional Immaturity by Bethany Webster – Bethany is an awesome resource for the Mother Wound. I encourage you not only to read the article, but to explore her other articles and stuff.
Mother’s Day Without Mom – “Your approach to the day may evolve over the years or vary depending on your circumstances. Remember, what feels right for one person may not be the same for another. It’s important to honor your feelings and do what feels most authentic.”
How to Make it Through Mother’s Day – A little bit here about why Mother’s Day is particularly difficult *and* I made a helpful three-step acronym to remember as Mother’s Day dawns: AGH!
Honoring an Estranged Mother on Mother’s Day – This was a really good exercise for me, and I turn to it each year. Resolving trauma does not have to include forgiveness or honoring an abusive parent. The way to honor these kinds of parent experiences might surprise you.
Honestly, Mother’s Day Can Suck It – LOLOL this title makes me laugh. A dive into what disassociation and radical acceptance mean and how they can play out this time of year.
And THE LARGEST, MOST COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF MOTHER’S DAY STUFF I’VE EVER SEEN FOR TRAUMA AND GRIEF – color me impressed, seriously. Pretty much any Mother’s Day situation you can think of is here at Coping With Grief on Mother’s Day: Selected Resources.
Take care of yourself this week!
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