We go into the New Year with the best of intentions, to make these goals actually happen. We feel excited, hopefully and even enthusiastic about the idea of working toward something new. But, for many of us, we often give up on our New Year’s resolutions or simply forget about them all together by the end of the month and revert back to our old habits. This can often make us feel shameful and guilty for not reaching the expectation that we had set out of ourselves. So, this New Year, instead of putting pressure on ourselves to make an excessive list of all of the New Year’s resolutions you feel that you have to complete, what if you threw that all out the window? What if you didn’t set resolutions?
Post-Holiday Blues
Getting back into the swing of things can come as a relief for many after the holidays. Jumping back into their comfortable routine and leaving the holiday stress behind is what actually brings much cheer to many. For others, the financially, emotionally and mentally stressful come down from the most wonderful time of the year can bring on post-holiday blues.
Taking Your Inner Critic Off the Holiday Guest List
You get caught up in the idea that you need to create the perfect holiday experience for yourself and for those around you. Each holiday season you set extremely high hopes that this year will *finally* be different. Yet, you often fall short of these expectations that you put on yourself. You often become overly stressed and anxious because of the added pressures of the December month. And while you had good intentions at the start of the month, you have set the stage for your inner critic to take the spotlight because you feel that you have fallen short.
Checking In, Turning the Page into 2022 by Heather Nicholson, MS, LPC
There can be a subtle pressure to experience joy through the holidays which unfolds straight into hope and action for the new year, without much room to acknowledge other important feelings which may have been stirred in the previous weeks, months, and year. Feelings like confusion, anger, frustration, pain, dread, fatigue, and fear are also part of our emotional tapestry. And, turning the page into 2022 has brought with it the added stress and uncertainties of a third year in a global pandemic.
How to Choose the Right DBT Treatment for You
So you’ve decided you want to learn DBT skills - hooray! You’ve just taken a big step. Making the decision to start learning DBT can feel confusing and overwhelming AND exciting at the same time! You may be considering where to begin in this process. Here are a few tips to help you get started…
Boundaries for Self-Respect and Self-Care
Does alcoholism or drug addiction run in your family? Are you married to someone or co-parenting with someone who struggles with drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, mental health issues or other things that affect your relationship with them? Are there times where you’re feeling angry and hurt because your loved one calls you drunk or abuses you during a mental health episode? Read here on ways to handle boundaries with family or loved ones with mental health issues.
