Season of Stress

OH, HELLO.

Real talk? The holidays are nothing like the movies. No matter how it looks on the outside, the holidays are difficult for a LOT of people. 2020 might be the hardest yet. COVID-19 has increased our isolation to levels many of us are not used to experiencing. 

I know the holiday season struggles well from having to recreate the holidays for myself. From being with family of choice and hearing their stories, and from helping clients with their own challenges during this season.

So to start, know that you are not alone, no matter how loud loneliness roars.

This Holiday Survival Kit was born out of helping therapy clients devise plans to navigate the winter holidays. Over the years, overwhelm, grief and loneliness have proven to be the most daunting holiday struggles and I have found myself pulling out the same tools time after time. 

In this second edition of the Holiday Survival Kit, I will share with you what I share with clients, even though this is not therapy nor a substitute for therapy. #disclaimer.

These struggles and tools are rich, and so worthy of a deeper dive (like in therapy). Over the series of emails to follow, I’ve distilled out the teachable pieces that have been most helpful over time. 

This email series is organized so that you can take what you need and leave the rest. We’ll start with the Holiday Reflections worksheet (click the big black button to the right) to help you get real about what this season is like for you. In subsequent emails we will talk about the most common struggles: overwhelm, grief, and loneliness. Each challenge is paired with carefully curated resources to utilize as you work through the challenges, what I consider the most essential tools for resilience: grounding, containment, self-soothing, and boundaries. 

Each day, you will receive a link to a resource page with guidance, worksheets, and audio pep talks to help you with these experiences. If there is a section that does not apply to you right now, skip it. Focus on what you need most right now and go from there. You can always return to these resources later. My hope is that each email will contain something of use for you, as you navigate through the difficult feelings that arise during the stress of the holiday season.

To get started, click the big black button under my photo to download the pdf worksheet geared to help you reflect on past holidays.

The holidays can be rough. My goal is to help make it a little easier to get you through this season of stress, and hopefully help you gain some useful skills you can use in the future too.

In peace & power,
Natalia