The holidays are upon us, and for many, that can mean excitement and festive joy that comes from family time, gift-giving, and sharing meals. However, for others, it can mean the stressful anticipation of family drama, feelings of loneliness, and emotional overload.
Holiday stress can easily sneak up on a person, and the effects of holiday-related anxiety and stress are something that the professionals at McNulty Counseling deal with year-round. From comprehensive anxiety counseling to marriage counseling and depression counseling, McNulty offers a pathway to a more peaceful holiday season and easier family gatherings through personally matched therapeutic experiences.
Why the holidays trigger stress, pressure, anxiety, and depression
The holidays have a way of magnifying any issues within a family system. Whether it is substance abuse, mental health issues, estrangement, or other challenges, many people can respond to these stressors by over-functioning or checking out. We develop maladaptive practices just to survive the holiday season, and that can leave people feeling depleted, depressed, or burnt out by the season’s end.
“Anticipating time with difficult relatives or stretching already thin finances for the gift buying can activate stress level responses long before the holiday even begins,” explains Travis McNulty, clinical director and founder of McNulty Counseling. Through anxiety counseling and other therapeutic measures, coping mechanisms such as perfectionist thinking can be challenged, and therapists can help people develop healthy coping skills to make the season more manageable.
Comprehensive, modern anxiety counseling during the holidays helps manage stress
McNulty Counseling offers a modern therapy approach and a wide range of therapeutic services, from individual counseling to family counseling. Their experienced and credentialed team is focused on client fit, matching the right therapist to each client based on their needs, personality, and counseling goals.
“We have local roots and regional reach with multiple locations here in Florida, but also offer virtual visit options across the state,” explains McNulty. So, no matter when the holiday anxiety begins to strike, a McNulty Counseling therapist can be available to help.
The counseling service is dedicated to offering clients a full-spectrum approach to healing, ensuring clients receive holistic, evidence-based treatment that is clinically effective and comprehensive.
Manage stress by setting boundaries, embracing mindfulness, and staying grounded
During the holidays, it can be difficult to juggle all the separate stressors at once. Family, financial pressures, event planning, and the overwhelming expectations that can come with the holidays can make it difficult to set reasonable boundaries and to stay grounded in the celebratory aspects of the season.
“One of the most effective strategies to help avoid family drama during the holidays is to decide on your personal limits before you walk in the door of any gathering,” says McNulty.
Something as simple as choosing how long to stay or what topics are personally off-limits can allow one to assert themself and set clear boundaries about what they will tolerate. Anxiety counseling during the holidays can also help people manage expectations or responses to their boundary setting.
“If your family is not receptive to boundaries, you can create an exit plan,” McNulty explains.
With clear boundaries and an exit plan if things start to go south, one can better protect their mental health around the holidays.
The practice of staying grounded can also make the holiday season less anxiety-ridden. Grounding techniques can be an effective method of self-care. Practices that prioritize slow, intentional, deep breathing, noticing physical sensations such as touch or smell, and excusing oneself briefly to recharge in another room can quickly lower anxiety and help one build resilience against common holiday stress.
Letting go of perfection and reducing stress to make the holidays a time of joy with professional counseling
Much of the work that McNulty Counseling does helps people discard the idea of “perfection” in favor of coping mechanisms that allow them to tap into what best addresses their unique anxieties or concerns. This approach is what makes McNulty’s efforts to pair clients with the therapist best suited for their individual needs so noteworthy. Not everyone approaches holiday stress and anxiety in the same way. By letting go of the idea of the “perfect holiday,” people can begin to manage their stress and enjoy themselves.
A simple plan, formulated with the help of a counselor, can help people better manage the holidays. These plans, written or not, should include boundaries, coping tools, and information about possible support systems.
As we inch closer to the holidays, McNulty Counseling is helping people set realistic expectations, establish clear limits and reasonable boundaries, and develop practical grounding skills to help them weather anything the holiday season throws at them. Whether it’s holiday stress or concerns one may have throughout the rest of the year, McNulty Counseling is helping people in Florida find therapists they can really connect with, leading to not only better holiday interactions, but a better life overall.