A Christmas Reflection: Looking Back, Moving Forward

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC

Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.

Posted: December 25, 2025

The Meaning of Christmas

Christmas Day is often filled with family, tradition, and joy—but also quiet moments of reflection. For some, it’s a time of laughter and love. For others, it’s a reminder of loss or change. However you find yourself today, I hope you feel a sense of peace and possibility.

For me, Christmas has always been a blend of emotions: gratitude for the family I have today, and reflection on the challenges I’ve faced and overcome. Growing up in foster care, the holidays were not always simple. I carried the ache of missing parents while also experiencing the love and stability of foster families. That tension still informs how I hold Christmas: as a season of both remembrance and hope.

Looking Back on 2025

As this year comes to a close, I find myself looking back at all the chapters of 2025—the celebrations, the challenges, the growth, and the lessons.

This year, at Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc., we continued to expand our work with individuals, children, and families, offering safe spaces for healing and resilience. We talked openly about trauma, grief, mental health awareness, parenting, and resilience through the many blogs we shared. We deepened our commitment to culturally informed care and community connection.

On a personal level, this year has been full of family milestones, professional growth, and reminders that even when life feels overwhelming, it is possible to find beauty in the small moments.

Coming Home for Christmas

After a beautiful family vacation in the Dominican Republic earlier this month, I’m now home, soaking in the quiet comfort of the season. As I write this, I am sipping hot chocolate, sitting by my Christmas tree, and looking forward to visiting my sweet granddaughter soon.

It’s moments like these, where the hustle slows and the stillness settles—that remind me of what truly matters. The presence of loved ones. The traditions that ground us. The chance to pause, reflect, and simply be.

Honouring Both Joy and Struggle

I want to pause here to acknowledge that for many, Christmas can feel heavy. Grief is sharper when the world seems to be celebrating. Financial pressures can feel overwhelming. And loneliness can feel more visible than ever.

If that’s you today, please know that you’re not alone. It’s okay if your Christmas doesn’t look like the ones on TV. It’s okay to rest, to grieve, or to find comfort in quiet rituals that hold meaning for you.

Christmas is not only about perfection. It’s about presence, connection, and the possibility of light in the darkness.

Looking Ahead to 2026

As we prepare to step into 2026, I carry with me a sense of hope. Not the naive kind of hope that ignores pain or difficulty—but a resilient hope born of lived experience.

The truth is, we don’t know what the next year will hold. There will be new challenges, but also new beginnings, opportunities, and moments of joy. Just as we are not defined by the hardships behind us, we are not limited in the possibilities ahead.

My wish for 2026 is that we all continue to choose compassion—for ourselves, for each other, and for the communities we live in. May we keep learning, keep healing, and keep building spaces of belonging.

Final Thoughts

On this Christmas Day, I am grateful for my family, my clients, my community, and for each person who has walked through the doors of Venture Counselling or connected with us online. Thank you for trusting us with your stories and for allowing us to walk beside you.

Merry Christmas, and may the new year bring you peace, strength, and connection.

Sign-Off

With gratitude for the past and hope for the future,

Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC

Founder & Clinical Director

Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.