The holiday season is often a whirlwind of activity, bringing both joy and stress. While this time of year is meant to be a season of connection and celebration, it can also feel overwhelming with packed schedules, family dynamics, and the pressure to meet everyone’s expectations. Setting boundaries is one of the most effective ways to protect your mental health and make the season manageable.

Gratitude is a powerful emotion that can positively transform the way we experience the world. Yet, during stressful times—like the holiday season, a busy workweek, or moments of uncertainty—it can feel especially difficult to tap into thankfulness. Practicing gratitude doesn’t mean ignoring challenges; instead, it’s about finding moments of appreciation amidst the difficulties, which can help ground and center us.

The holiday season is often painted as a time of joy and celebration, but for many, it can also be a period of heightened stress and emotional difficulty. Challenges such as navigating family dynamics, busy schedules, financial pressures, and even loneliness can take a toll on our mental well-being.

Each year in my work with clients, the theme of coping through the holidays resurfaces. What started as a short handout early in my career as a therapist has, over a decade later, grown into a 21-page workbook designed to help clients develop skills and tools to build insight and resilience through the season’s highs and lows.