Tips for Coping with the Holidays

Introducing 5 New Holiday Tip Sheets from Psychotherapist and Codependency Expert Sharon Martin, LCSW

Are you dreading the holidays because of difficult people in your life?

Do you tend to get stressed, sad, or overwhelmed during December?

Do you want to set a positive tone for the holiday season?

Would it be helpful to keep some coping strategies ready at hand?

Are you giving a presentation on mental health or healthy relationships over the holidays or looking for a helpful handout for your support group?

I’ve put together a bundle of 5 holiday tip sheets, formatted as PDFs and ready for immediate download, to help you manage difficult holiday situations and feelings.

Healthy Holiday Boundaries

Healthy boundaries create a framework that lets people know how to treat you. They help create respectful, mutual relationships because expectations are clear. Boundary problems tend to occur when you put someone else's needs before your own and allow yourself to be mistreated or devalued.

The holidays add some extra challenges when it comes to healthy boundaries. As you know, the holiday season means more social commitments, financial pressures, family gatherings, lots of eating and drinking. This tip sheet will help you to navigate challenging situations and set healthy boundaries throughout the holiday season.

Tips to Help You Embrace Imperfection During the Holidays

Are you a bit of a perfectionist? Do you want things to be just right or you’ll feel disappointed and frustrated? Do you try to make everyone happy?

Because of our perfectionism, we can get caught up in the to-do lists, the decisions, and the holiday planning. Sometimes we overthink all the details -- from the party menu to buying the perfect gift for everyone on our list. We have a vision of what the holidays "should" look like, but inevitably something ruins our efforts to create a perfect holiday. My 6 tips for embracing imperfection during the holidays will help you cope when things don’t go as planned.

15 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

If you’re prone to the “winter blues”, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or tend to feel down around the holidays, it may be tempting to curl up on your couch, dig into your favorite comfort food, and binge watch TV. This is fine on the occasional Sunday afternoon, but if you suffer from depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder, it’s not going to be helpful on a regular basis. This PDF provides 15 actionable tips for coping with the winter blues.

Essential Self-Care Practices for the Holiday Season

Does your holiday look like the pictures in magazines and catalogs or the ones you see in the movies? We all know it’s supposed to be a joyful time of year filled with happy family gatherings, plentiful gifts, and a joyful spirit. But for some, the reality is far different – the family gatherings are painful, finances are tight, or your grieving heart is broken.

I wish I could promise you a solution to heal fractured relationships and painful memories, to bring you joy and peace, but many problems can’t be solved so quickly or easily. Instead, we can love and care for ourselves through the challenges that the holidays can bring. We can choose to be the best versions of ourselves and empower ourselves to celebrate (or not celebrate) in the ways that feel right for us. Giving yourself the gift of self-care may be the most important gift you’ll receive!

8 Tips to Stay Mentally Healthy During the Holidays

It's easy to abandon our normal routines and healthy habits during the holidays. Use these tips to keep yourself mentally healthy and feeling your best.

These holiday tips sheets are only available during the holiday season (through December 31^st), so don’t miss your chance to purchase a set. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and find these self-help print-ready PDFs helpful.