Some seasons feel like both too much and not enough.
You’re deeply thankful for your people, your progress, your place in the world, and also, painfully aware of what’s missing.
A person.
A version of yourself you haven’t felt in a while.
Or even, a sense of certainty you thought you’d have by now.
The holidays tend to surface all of it at once, joy and grief, connection and loneliness, nostalgia and numbness.
If that’s you, you’re not doing it wrong, you’re just in the middle of it.
You Don’t Have To Choose Between Gratitude And Grief
There’s a lot of pressure this time of year to feel thankful.
To make the most of it.
To be present, joyful, and fine, even when your chest feels heavy and your energy feels thin.
But, gratitude isn’t a cure for grief.
You don’t need to perform your peace for it to be real.
You can:
- Light a candle in someone’s memory and laugh at the dinner table.
- Feel quietly sad and still mean it when you say, “I’m thankful for you.”
- Be grateful for what’s good, without pretending the hard stuff doesn’t exist.
What The Messy Middle Really Feels Like
Maybe you’re:
- Feeling disconnected from yourself or your partner, but pretending things are fine
- Missing someone you can’t talk about, because “it’s been long enough”
- Questioning if this is all there is, even with a full calendar
- Feeling stuck between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming
This space—the “messy middle”—is tender. It’s honest.
It’s a sacred place to begin again.
At The Pursuit Counseling in Fayetteville, GA, we believe therapy isn’t just for crises.
It’s for humans learning how to hold both.
How Therapy Helps You Hold More Than One Truth
Therapy isn’t about fixing what’s broken.
It’s about learning how to stay soft, even in the hard stuff.
It’s about giving yourself permission to say, “I’m…”:
“Okay, and I’m not.”
“Thankful, and I’m tired.”
“Healing, and I still miss who I used to be.”
Here’s what that can look like in the therapy room:
- Talking through the losses you haven’t had space to grieve
- Processing changes in your identity, family, or relationships
- Building mindfulness practices to stay anchored when emotions run high
- Learning to feel more without feeling overwhelmed
- Making room for both joy and honesty without guilt
You’re Not Broken For Feeling This Way
You don’t have to earn support. You just have to feel.
That lump in your throat?
That ache in your chest during the holidays?
That’s not a weakness.
It’s proof you care. That you’ve lived. That you’re human.
There’s no right way to feel grateful.
There’s just your way, honest, imperfect, still unfolding.
A Gentle Gratitude Practice That Doesn’t Ignore The Hard
Want to try something different this season?
Start here: Name 3 things that are true—not perfect, not pretty—just true.
Like:
- I’m trying.
- I love my kids, even when I feel like I’m failing.
- I’m doing the best I can with what I have.
Gratitude doesn’t always look like a highlight reel.
Sometimes it looks like not giving up.
Sometimes it’s just showing up again.
Let’s Make Space For Both
You don’t have to wait until you feel “grateful enough” or “better enough” to reach out.
We hold space for the grief that lingers and the gratitude that’s still real.
You get to be your whole self here, no script, no pressure, and no pretending.
Book A Free 15-Minute Consultation With Julia
If you’re feeling tender this season, if you’re in the messy middle, you don’t have to walk through it alone.
I’d love to talk with you, hear your story, and explore how therapy might help you come home to yourself again.
