When Father’s Day Hurts: 5 Gentle Ways to Survive a Complicated Day

Why Is Father’s Day So Hard?

For those grieving their dad, Father’s Day becomes a loud reminder of absence. The chair he used to sit in. The cologne you haven’t smelled in years. The silence where his voice used to be.

For others, it’s not about loss through death—it’s about emotional loss.

Maybe your father was physically there but emotionally distant.
Maybe he left. Or maybe he stayed but made you feel small, unworthy, or invisible.

Whether you’re navigating father loss, estrangement, trauma, or unmet longing, Father’s Day can stir up old grief and new pain—sometimes both at once.