Coping with grief on Father’s Day

16 June 2023 | Support

Father’s Day is coming up this Sunday and as with many ‘special days’, it can be a source of mixed emotions.

For many, a time to celebrate and share love and joy with family; but for many others a sad reminder of absence and loss. For anyone who may find this a difficult day, our Support Professional, Amy Young, shares some thoughts on coping with those emotions.

When you lose a parent or parent figure or are a dad who has lost a child, every day can be difficult, but occasions like Father’s Day can exacerbate and heighten feelings of grief. The adverts and reminders in the weeks leading up to it, as well as the social media posts on the day, can feel hard to cope with. They may act as a constant reminder of the person you are missing, and cause feelings of sadness, anger and jealousy.

Brain Tumour Support is here to support you, however you may be feeling.

Plan ahead

Father’s Day isn’t just about the day itself, but the weeks running up to it. Control what you are seeing, for example opting out of emails from companies about Father’s Day. Acknowledge that the day may be difficult, how you might feel, and what support you might need. Planning can help to ease anxiety.

Be kind to yourself

Whether your loss is recent, or happened some time ago, allow yourself to sit with whatever emotions you are feeling. Give yourself permission for them to be expressed and acknowledged, rather than pushing them back down. Remember that grief comes with no rulebook, and everyone affected by the loss may be feeling different things. Feeling ok on the day is fine too.

Take away any pressure or expectations

Spend the day doing what feels best for you. Whether that is marking the day by laying flowers or lighting a candle, going to one of their favourite places, sharing stories and memories of them, or simply treating the day as any other. You may get out in nature, take a nap, or have some time to yourself. Honour what you need, and whatever feels right in that moment. Avoid social media if you feel that seeing other people’s posts will make things harder.

Speak to someone

As a charity, we know how important it is to speak about how you are feeling. Open up a conversation with someone, and share your thoughts and emotions. Say their name and hold a space for them. Sometimes, others do not want to broach it first for fear of upsetting you, so do not be afraid to open the conversation yourself to get the support you need. Remember, others who were also close to your loved one will be thinking of them too.

Brain Tumour Support is here to listen and support you through your grief. We offer personalised one-to-one support with our Support Professionals, bereavement support groups, and a specialist counselling service.

Our support line is open 9 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday. Call us at 01454 422 701 or email us for help and support if you are grieving a loved one, or have been affected in any way, due to a brain tumour.

Find out more about our support services.

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