Photo courtesy of momlogic.com.

The national Open to Hope radio program interviewed National Association of Social Workers member Sherry Saturno, MSW, DSW, LCSW, about how people struggling with depression and grief can get through the holidays.

Saturno is the clinical director of the Westchester Medical Center Behavioral Health Center in New York. She was also named social worker of the year by the NASW New York/Westchester chapter.

Thanksgiving, Hannukah, Christmas, New Years and Ramadan can be a tough time for people who have lost loved ones, and can actually make them feel anxious and depressed weeks before the holidays arrive.

“The holidays can be such a difficult time for our clients,” Saturno said. “The holidays can actually act as a trigger.”

One thing Saturno suggests is that people who grieve around the holidays should start new traditions that help them move forward but also honor the memory of loved ones.

To hear the full interview click here.

To learn more about how social workers help people deal with loss visit NASW’s “Help Starts Here” Grief and Loss Website by clicking here.