Boundaries for the holidays. You don’t really need my permission to say no to any of the things that add stress or decrease happiness, but I’m going to give it to you just in case it helps. You have permission to set boundaries and say no to everything that doesn’t bring you joy this holiday season. You don’t even […]
Category Archives: holidays
Coping with Challenging People and Situations During the Holidays
Will you be facing some challenging people or situations as you celebrate the holidays this year? Holiday celebrations can be joyful, but they can also be stressful when we encounter “difficult” people and more demands on our time, energy, and finances. Often there are unspoken expectations or traditions that we feel obligated to participate in, leaving us feeling resentful […]
Holiday Self-Care to Cope with Stress and Difficult Family Relationships
The holidays are here again! Does your holiday look like the pictures in magazines and catalogs or the ones you see in the movies? We all know it’s supposed to be a joyful time of year filled with happy family gatherings, plentiful gifts, and a joyful spirit. But for some, the reality is far different – the family gatherings […]
Why You Need Realistic Expectations and How to Set Them
“Expectations are resentments waiting to happen.” – Anne Lamott Realistic expectations have the power to make you happier. The holidays don’t feel like the “most wonderful time of the year” for everyone. It’s emotionally difficult to join in holiday celebrations when you’re experiencing grief, strained relationships, infertility, divorce, or difficult family dynamics. The single most important piece of advice […]
Tips for Reducing Stress from Your Holiday Celebrations
Holiday celebrations are an opportunity to get together and celebrate the season with family and friends, but they’re also a source of stress, especially if you are trying to maintain your sobriety. Between conflicts among guests to the stress of planning celebrations or deciding which events to attend when your schedule is double-booked, there are many ways the holidays can […]
How to Use Mindfulness to Cope with Holiday Stress
How can you use mindfulness to cope with holiday stress? Do you find you’re frequently trying to squeeze more into your day by multi-tasking? Or do you miss pieces of conversations or opportunities to connect because you’re distracted, rehashing the past, or worrying about the future? In an effort to be more productive, we often try to do […]
How to Help your Infertile Friend on Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is hard – really hard – when you’re wanting to have a baby, but can’t. If you care enough about your friend, sibling, or coworker, to look up answers on the internet, you’re half way there. The fact that you are trying to help and recognize that infertility is hard is amazing! And because I’ve been through infertility myself, […]
Parenting Teens: Helping Teens through the Holidays After Divorce
Helping Teens through the Holidays After Divorce by Sharon Martin, LCSW The holiday season is stressful for most people. If you and your children are adjusting to the holidays post-divorce, it can be even more stressful. Below I’ve provided some tips for helping teens through the holidays after divorce.