The Power of Boundaries: Managing Holiday Anxiety with Self-Care
The holiday season is often described as the most wonderful time of the year, but for many, it can also be the most overwhelming. The pressure to meet expectations, attend countless events, and maintain holiday cheer can fuel anxiety and emotional burnout. The good news? Setting healthy boundaries, slowing down, saying no, and prioritizing self-care can transform holiday stress into a season of balance and joy.
Helping Your Child Manage Holiday Anxiety: Navigating Uncertainty and Routine Changes
The holiday season is full of joy, excitement—and let’s be real—a fair amount of stress, especially if your child struggles with anxiety. Changes in routine, unpredictable schedules, and sensory overload can lead to emotional outbursts that leave everyone feeling frazzled. Sound familiar? You’re not alone, and the good news is there are ways to help your child feel more grounded.
How to Manage Holiday Anxiety
The holiday season is often portrayed as a time of joy, togetherness, and celebration. But for many, it brings an unwelcome visitor: anxiety. From the pressure of family dynamics to the overwhelm of shopping and planning, the holidays can be a stress-inducing time. If you struggle with holiday anxiety, you’re not alone. In fact, anxiety during this time of year is so common that mental health professionals have developed several approaches to help people manage it.
Managing Thanksgiving Anxiety with Gratitude, Acceptance, and Self-Compassion
Thanksgiving is often heralded as a time for family, food, and fun. However, for many people, it can also be a time of stress, tension, and anxiety. Whether it’s navigating complex family dynamics, dealing with the pressure of holiday perfectionism, or feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of planning and expectations, Thanksgiving can easily become a source of anxiety rather than a time of celebration.
The Science & Healing Power of Bilateral Art: An Art Therapy and Neuroscience Perspective
In the world of art therapy, bilateral art stands out as a unique and transformative practice. This technique, which involves creating art using both hands simultaneously, may seem like a simple scribble, but its benefits are profound. By engaging the brain and body at the same time, bilateral art bridges the gap between science and creativity, offering a powerful tool for healing and personal growth.
Why We Don’t Actually Want Anxiety to Go Away
When most people think about anxiety, their immediate reaction is, "I just want it to go away." But here's an unpopular opinion: We don’t want anxiety to disappear entirely. The goal of anxiety therapy isn’t to eliminate anxiety, but rather to change your relationship with it.
Why Figuring Out "Why" You're Anxious Might Be Making Things Worse
When anxiety strikes, it's natural to want to understand its source. After all, if you can figure out why you're anxious, you might be able to solve the problem, right? Unfortunately, that's not always the case. In fact, focusing on the "why" can often do more harm than good. Here’s why understanding the cause of your anxiety may not be the answer you’re looking for.
Embracing Flexibility: Transforming How We Face Anxiety
In the realm of anxiety management, our mindset plays a pivotal role in how we perceive and respond to challenges. Often, our default mode of thinking can either amplify our anxiety or empower us to navigate through it with resilience. This is where the shift from rigid to flexible thinking becomes not just beneficial, but transformative.
Dealing with Resistance and Shutdown in Anxiety
Anxiety has a sneaky way of making us want to retreat, to shut down, and to avoid whatever makes us feel uneasy. Whether it’s putting off a difficult conversation, procrastinating on a project, or avoiding social situations, these actions seem to offer temporary relief from discomfort. That relief from discomfort gives us the false notion of protection from discomfort. However, it actually maintains the cycle of anxiety and reinforces anxiety’s grip on you over time.