So many of us experience higher levels of stress during the Holidays. That can add a lot for therapy clients who already experience so many difficulties. And to boot, loneliness can also hit pretty hard for many people during the Holidays. So what therapist resources are available for clients who need holiday stress coping strategies?
The APA released a recent survey giving us a picture of stress during the Holidays. They found that 89% of all people experience holiday stress! 49% even reported their stress occurs to at least a moderate degree. Financial concerns (especially for low SES individuals), missing loved ones, and thinking about potential family conflict were the main concerns for individuals.
Over a third of people said it even interfered with their ability to enjoy the Holidays. Some also said the Holidays brought about feelings of competition with others. But really though, my lights are cooler than yours….
But what about people who experience mental health difficulties? An academic research review found that those with mental health difficulties tend to experience loneliness, depressed mood, and being without family. They also found that utilizing mental health services and some severe difficulties (e.g., self-harm) surprisingly decreased during the Holiday season. They note an interesting yet unfortunate rebound of some difficulties following the Holidays, however.
So what specific holiday stress coping strategies can we give to clients in addition to sweet, sweet validation? News and media outlets have provided a host of different strategies. We have combined some common research-based stress and coping strategies to enhance your therapist resources. Dr. Matt B also put out an under-4-minute video clients can view anytime as a guide and reminder for coping strategies.
- Gratitude journaling. Journaling on 5 things one is grateful for or recording recent positive events that occurred. Doing this 1-2 times per week (research finds this is more effective than doing so daily).
- Behavioral activation: Purposely engaging in activities that are meaningful or enjoyable and boost mood, even for brief periods. This can seem like it’s even more to add to one’s plate but taking this time separately pays off for relief.
- Staying in communication with people we care about or people from our past we appreciate.
- Sometimes saying “no” when feeling overwhelmed. This may be more or less difficult for certain clients, so it may be necessary to explore beliefs around rejecting requests (or use other strategies).
Holiday stress can be difficult for all of us. It can also even more to cope with for mental health clients experiencing multiple difficulties. Specific holiday stress coping strategies can go a long way to make this period smoother and easier.
