Merry Christmas from the Speak Out Loud Podcast!

Merry Christmas to all of the listeners and followers of the Speak Out Loud podcast! We are so thankful for you and that you are a part of our mission to share hope and encouragement for those who struggle with mental health and to those who love them. Christmas has not always been an easy or merry time for Stacee or our family throughout the mental illness journey. Traumatic experiences, difficult memories, and unmet expectations (of ourselves and others) can all make the holiday season difficult for many people. What is billed as a "joyous" season for many is filled with increased depression, heightened anxiety, and loneliness. In this episode, Stacee talks about struggling with difficult memories during the Christmas season, and how she has been able to work through those to establish new traditions and new memories for herself and our family. The apostle John beautifully summarizes the entry of Jesus into the world this way: "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5). This Christmas we celebrate that Jesus brings His light and hope to the darkest places in our world and our lives, and certainly to the darkness of mental illness. We invite you to listen to this episode as we walk through this Christmas season together and not alone. May the grace and love and joy of God and Savior, Jesus, be yours this Christmas season and into the New Year. Blessings to each of you our listeners and friends. --Stacee and Doug