Holidays are often a time when we reflect on our families and relationships. Depending on your unique experiences and relationships, the opportunity or lack of opportunity to connect with family members during the holidays may trigger a variety of emotions including; joy, anxiety, frustration, disappointment, sadness, confusion and so much more.
Therapists across the country have been blogging about relationship dynamics that can play out during the holidays. I am sharing links that I think provide helpful information and represent a variety of relationship themes that can emerge during the holidays. Although I can’t share links to cover every situation, I am hopeful that you will find a post that speaks to you or a loved one this holiday season.
Feel free to use the comments section below to share additional links that you have found helpful or to let me know what you think about the links I have put together for you.
If you haven’t already done so, make sure you also check out the other posts in this series:
Sarah
Family, Relationships & The Holidays
New York therapist Rebecca Wong writes about family and connection during the holiday season in her post One Thing During The Holidays.
In her recent post, Divorce Your Toxic Family: Enjoy The Holidays, Michigan therapist Ruth Spalding gives readers permission to stand by the boundaries they have set with abusive or toxic family members.
As we connect with family members during the holiday season, Heidi Johnson reminds us of how depression may affect the elderly in her post Holiday Depression and the Elderly.
If you are looking to improve your relationship, Erika Labuzan-Lopez may be able to help. In her post, How to Improve your Relationship with your Holiday Wishlist, Erika shares 5 gift ideas that you may want to consider adding to your wish list this year.
In this thought provoking piece called December: Birth and Loss, Elizabeth Gillette shares her perspective on the themes of birth and loss that emerge during this time of year. I found this post to be very moving and honest.
If you are ready to take a break from reading, check out this video post called How to Love Your Stressed Out Partner . Robyn D’Angelo shares the “Three Rs” to help us love our partners when they are stressed.
Adjusting to the holidays after divorce is difficult for most people. In her post Helping Teens Through the Holidays After Divorce, California therapist Sharon Martin shares 8 tips for helping teens navigate the holidays after divorce.
Addiction and the holidays is the theme of Holiday Recovery…Can it Wait? written by Michael Salas. Conversations about addiction, treatment and recovery can be difficult for some families, but Michael answers some common questions that you may have this holiday season.
Although not directly related to the holidays, I would also like to share a link to my post called Self Care Revisited. This post provides a summary of several posts I have written about self care. Prioritizing self care is always important, but this is especially true when intense emotions are triggered, which may be the case for some this holiday season.