Help for the Holidays: How Therapy Supports Stress, Struggles, and Seasonal Strain

The Holidays Aren’t Easy for Everyone

The season can bring joy and overwhelm

The holiday season can bring a lot of joy, but at the same time for some, a lot of overwhelm, too. Someone called with a last minute change of schedule in your already jam packed plans, the exact gift your nephew wants this year is a little more out of budget than you planned, and Aunt Phyllis is bound to say something out of pocket that will ruffle some feathers, or maybe it’s the first (or tenth) holiday season without a loved one. 

Therapy can be a helpful anchor during emotionally charged times

Having a safe space to process complex feelings about the holiday season can be a game changer in learning how to minimize the negative and maximize the positive.

Why the Holidays Can Be Especially Triggering

Increased Expectations and Pressure

Family obligations (and if you have a partner/spouse or chosen family, double that), social events for church or work, and gift-giving related stress can leave someone feeling scrambled by the increased expectations and pressures around the holiday season. Even when someone is operating at their best, it’s still a lot for one person to manage.

For many people, the holidays aren’t exactly a happy time — and that’s okay. Nevertheless, the pressures to feel happy and grateful are ever present. Communicating what you’re feeling and what you need, especially to your loved ones who care about you and want to see you happy, can feel complicated when you are having trouble naming the feelings yourself. 

Complicated Relationships

Estranged family members, boundary issues, grief — the list of variables that could cause complicated feelings around the holiday season can seem endless. No matter your situation, the path through the holiday season can feel unclear. 

Everyone has their own beliefs and opinions they are entitled to — but it doesn’t make putting varying thoughts, opinions, and beliefs into one room any easier. Friction in conversation can lead to heated discussions, and unless you’re equipped with boundaries and communication skills to diffuse the situation, a full-blown, explosive argument can cause a lot of collateral damage. 

Changes in Routine

Kids aren’t the only ones who are affected by disrupted schedules and routines. No matter your age, it’s natural to feel increased fatigue when your schedule inevitably shifts and changes to accommodate the busyness of the holiday season. 

The stress of the holiday season can impact one’s sleep — even on the most silent of nights. Being thrown off of one’s routine can also lead to disrupted eating habits. These two things combined can seriously affect one’s ability to emotionally regulate, potentially leading to other problems in the process.

How Therapy Can Support You Through the Season

Talking Through Triggers in Advance

Imagine if before a big test, you were given a study guide that showed you exactly the areas you needed to study up on most to ace it. That’s what therapy can do for you during the holiday season — by having the opportunity to talk through what may trigger you in advance, you’ll be able to come into the holiday season a little more prepared than you were before. 

Therapists are equipped to see the big picture in the ways you may not be able to. Their ability to zoom out and evaluate all the sides of a situation can help you figure out a game plan that protects your peace. 

Practicing Boundaries and Self-Advocacy

If you hear any word in therapy, it should be this one: boundaries. Being afraid to say no for whatever reason during the holiday season — whether you don’t want to disappoint a loved one or you’re just trying to “keep up” with everyone else — can quickly lead to overbooking yourself and burnout. 

Learning the language of how to set limits around your time, any topics you may not be willing to discuss, or any expectations you need, can be transformative and powerful in reshaping how you carry yourself throughout the holiday season.

Coping Tools You Can Bring With You

Not only will your therapist work with you on learning the language of how to set and enforce boundaries around holiday stressors, but also on coping tools you can carry forward with you even after New Years rolls around. Breath work, grounding exercises, and journaling are great examples of what your therapist may encourage you to add into your routine. 

Something that your therapist might encourage you to do is figure out a “reset ritual” that works best for you. This can look like whatever it needs to for you — having a cup of tea on the porch, writing a page in a journal, reading or listening to a book, or even calling a trusted friend. 

If You’re Taking a Break from Sessions

How to Stay Regulated Between Appointments

As busy as the holidays can be already, you may not have time in your schedule to work in regular therapy sessions too. That’s okay — the right therapist will be able to equip you with the tools you need to help you reach your goals, both in and out of your sessions. 

A check-in journal as part of your mindfulness routine with your therapist can be a great way of staying on track in between your sessions together. You can discuss with them what method works best, but it could be something like an email or even a shared Google Doc. 

When to Reach Out

If you find yourself needing a little extra support, the right therapist will be prepared for that. Sometimes even a short 5 minute call to remind you of what you’ve gone over in sessions can make all the difference. We all need a little boost sometimes, don’t we?

Not only will your therapist be able to help you in sessions, but they will also be able to set you up with direct access to crisis resources if you find a serious situation leaves you in distress.

Final Thoughts: The Holidays Don’t Have to Be Perfect

Nothing is perfect, and the holiday season is no exception. As you prepare for curveballs that will inevitably be thrown your way, you deserve to be reminded that you are more than allowed to focus on protecting your own peace.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can build the tools you need to make this holiday season a little smoother, we’re here to help. Whether it’s learning to set boundaries, managing holiday expectations, or simply carving out moments of your own peace during a hectic season, support is available — and you don’t have to navigate it alone. 

Reach out when you’re ready; we would be honored to walk alongside you.