Post Holiday Wrap-up

As we come off of the Thanksgiving holiday and get ready for the next round of holiday festivities, I wanted to take a moment and check in with our community about how you’re feeling. Last year was a bit different, what with the pandemic and having to socially distance to protect ourselves and our loved ones. This year, we’ve tentatively moved into what feels more “normal” and yet given everything we’ve been through in the past two years, what really is normal anyway? One thing that is sure to remain constant, pandemic or not, are the feelings that come up as a result of the holidays. Maybe you’ve lost someone and are going through your first holiday without them; maybe you haven’t seen certain family members in a long time and are nervous about what your interactions will be like. Maybe you have certain political beliefs that don’t mesh with your families’. Either way, holidays are a time to gather, relax, and connect but can also be a time where trauma and other familial issues are triggered. If that’s the case for you, I urge you to go easy on yourself. We cannot always control what triggers us but we can find tools and resources to help us cope with these triggers. Maybe you need to set a boundary with a certain family member, or perhaps you may choose to not engage with that family member at all. No matter what you decide to do, it’s imperative to make choices that help you to feel safe.

I remember a couple of holidays where I chose not to go home, not because I did not want to but because I knew that doing so would have lasting consequences on my own well-being. By nature, I like to be around people and enjoy spending time with family, so making those choices was extremely hard. In the end though, I learned more about myself and my part in the family dysfunction, and this helped me to grow both personally and professionally. So, if you’re struggling with not knowing how to handle a situation during the holidays, please talk to a safe person about it and know that no matter what choice you make, you are going to be okay. Also know that our therapists at Harper Therapy are here and ready to help you navigate any complicated family dynamics that may spring up during the holidays!