Holidays tend to be high-pressure situations. A lot of us have high expectations for how the holidays should go, especially since the pandemic has kept many families apart. There may be pressure to follow family traditions at this time of year, which can be tense sometimes. Many families have experienced great loss in the last two years, and the prospect of gathering after losing a loved one might feel impossible. 

No matter how you’re feeling going into this holiday season, you deserve to take some time to take care of your mental health. It’s easier to deal with high-pressure situations when you’re not feeling burned out or on edge yourself. Taking care of your mental health can actually be a great way to prioritize self-care at a time when you feel the need to people please. It can also give you built-in time to rest and rejuvenate, which is often sorely needed at the end of the year.

If you’re wondering how to take care of your mental health this holiday season, here are 5 of our favorite ways: 
 

Reconsider your expectations

Having high expectations of how something will go can add a lot of mental pressure. We all have an idea in our heads of the “perfect” holiday, but perfect doesn’t exist. Things will never be 100% ideal, so expecting them to be is just setting yourself up for disappointment. Try to adjust your expectations of what the holiday season means for you. Instead of feeling pressure to have drama-free interactions, decadent meals, and cool gifts ready, you can let the holidays just be what they are. 

Set boundaries as necessary

Lots of people think of boundaries as a punishment or a bad thing. However, boundaries are actually a key part of maintaining relationships over a long period of time. Setting boundaries enables you to keep the relationship functioning for everyone involved, instead of letting resentment or frustration build up over time. If you need to set some boundaries about how you’ll be spoken to, how you’ll spend your time, or your personal limits (or something else!) that’s totally within your right to do so. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for alone time 

Being around a bunch of other people can be exhausting in the best of times, but especially so after two years of semi-isolation. It’s okay to let your loved ones know that you need space. If you’re worried your family will be offended, remember that it’s not your job to manage anyone else’s emotions. You are in charge of your emotions, and no one else’s. If you’re having a hard time finding alone time, try offering to run an errand or walk someone’s dog just to get out of the house. 

Make a plan ahead of time for the tough moments

When you’re in distress, it can be hard to figure out what the next step is. Even if you understand something logically when you’re not in a distressed state when you’re activated emotionally that logic can fly right out the window. To prepare for this, you can sit down ahead of time and jot down some coping strategies for when you’re in distress. You can keep the list in your journal, in a note on your phone, on notecards, or anywhere you’ll think to look when you’re upset. This way you don’t have to use extra brain power to decide what to do – you can just reach for your list and start trying the different strategies to calm yourself down. 

Have a trusted person outside of your holiday celebrations you can vent to

Sometimes it’s hard to deal with the complexities of family dynamics without having someone to talk it over with. The loved ones you’re spending time with at the holidays might be too close to the situation to give you unbiased advice, but a trusted friend or a family member who isn’t there might be able to help support you. Talking things over with someone else can be a helpful way to organize your thoughts, blow off steam and air your frustrations, and be reminded that there are people out there who love you and support you no matter what. 

If you’re worried about how to cope with the holidays this year, talking about it with a therapist can help you figure out how you want to approach the situation and how you’ll cope when things get tough. If you’re interested in working with a therapist, get in touch with our office today. 

Want to schedule a 10-minute call with our Intake Coordinator?  Check out our scheduling link here.

The post 5 Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Health at the Holidays appeared first on Holistic Consultation.

Reducing stigma around mental health is a big focus of mental health. In recent years, talking about mental health and normalizing therapy has been much more prevalent, especially on social media websites like Instagram. There are a ton of influential therapist accounts that are designed to make mental health education accessible for everyday folks. Of course, following a therapist on Instagram is not a replacement for therapy, but it speaks to the fact that our society is eager to learn about these topics. Learning more about mental health and wellness can only lead to better outcomes because the more we understand, the more we can offer help whether to ourselves or others. 

It’s also important to remember to consume content from reliable sources. That means it’s okay to check into who is posting a resource – are they a therapist? What is their training? Who is paying them to post this information? These are all basic aspects of media literacy, but checking your sources is important. Lots of therapy practices, including ours, have a variety of resources available to support clients in and out of the therapy room. Here are some of our favorite ways to tend to our mental health that aren’t just therapy:

Make time for movement

Movement can be a great way to connect with your body and work out anxiety or tension. Movement can be anything from exercising to dancing around your living space for a few minutes. Many people have complicated histories with exercise and restriction, so sometimes reframing exercise as movement can be helpful. Some options for movement are online exercise videos, yoga on YouTube, going for a walk or hike, playing with a child or pet, cleaning your house, gentle stretching, or anything that feels good to your body.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a skill that’s encouraged in many spaces, including therapy. We all spend a lot of time on screens or multitasking, so it feels unnatural to sit still and focus on what’s happening in the here and now. Learning how to tune in to the present moment is a skill that takes practice. Starting a mindfulness practice can help you manage anxiety and depression by reminding you to slow down and connect to what’s really going on instead of what you’re telling yourself is going on. There are tons of ways to approach mindfulness. You can try sitting quietly, focusing on the breath, for a certain amount of time each day. There are also a ton of helpful guided meditations out there that can help guide you through the process so you have support. 

Journal

Journaling is a great way to intentionally check in with yourself. Sometimes the act of just writing down your thoughts and feelings can help you process things. You don’t have to write anything special or fancy, your journal is just for you, however, you need it. You can make lists if writing isn’t your forte or even fill your journal with doodles. The idea of this is to help you organize and process your thoughts to the best of your ability, and writing them down helps you see them in a new way. 

Self-care routines 

The way you treat yourself matters. If you don’t make time for yourself, you will eventually internalize the message that you’re not important. You deserve good care, especially from yourself. Self-care can be fun and cute, like bubble baths and skincare routines, but it also includes things like making doctor’s appointments, paying your bills, and filling your prescriptions. All of these things contribute to your well-being, and it’s important to make time for them. If you’re looking for more ways to practice self-care, we have a guide on building a self-care routine here. 

Get well-rounded support

Another key to tending to your mental health is making sure you’re taking care of yourself, even in ways that aren’t exciting or fun. Part of this is making sure you’re getting regular checkups with your doctor, seeing any specialists you need, and prioritizing your wellness. Many folks have a variety of medical or wellness providers – physicians, nutrition specialists, psychiatrists, and support groups can all play a role. If you’re looking for local support in Columbus, we have a list of local resources available at the office so you can get the support you need. 

Explore new hobbies 

Exploring a new hobby is a great way to get yourself out of your comfort zone. It’s also immensely validating to try something new and have a blast. You don’t have to be the best at whatever you try – in fact, you probably won’t be great at what you choose until you get some practice. Check out websites with tutorials (for free options you can’t beat YouTube, but if you’re interested in a paid option SkillShare has tons of classes on every topic under the sun). You never know what you’re going to like until you try! If you’re worried about the cost of starting a new hobby, see if you know anyone with supplies you can borrow first to see if it’s your thing. You can also find workshops online and in person on hobbies of all stripes, from collage art to plant therapy. 

Read books on mental health topics 

We all learn in different ways, so some people might prefer an educational video or podcast over a book. However, if you’re a reader, there are a ton of mental health focused books out there. Whatever topic you’re looking for support with, chances are a therapist has written a book about it. We often recommend books in session that are relevant to what our clients are going through, whether that’s anxiety, parenthood, or relationship issues. You can find our full list of therapist approved books here. 

Taking care of your mental health is a complicated, life-long process. It might take some trial and error to find what works for you, and what works might change over time. That’s okay! Keep adjusting until you find what feels right for you at the moment. 

Want to schedule a 10-minute call with our Intake Coordinator?  Check out our scheduling link here.

The post 7 Ways to Tend to Your Mental Health That Aren’t Therapy appeared first on Holistic Consultation.

If you feel isolated, confused or overwhelmed, you’re not the only one. We’re all adjusting to our new normal, and even though we don’t know how long it will last, this is a temporary situation and we are all trying to cope the best we can.

If you’re struggling, here are 5 ideas we think may help:

Journaling

A lot of us are in survival mode right now, so you may not have even had a chance think about your feelings yet, and journal can be a safe space to do that. Remember, when you journal you don’t have to write anything deep or fancy – just write whatever comes to mind and do your best to not judge yourself. Journaling is a great way to intentionally check in with your emotional and mental self.

Spending time outside

There’s nothing like fresh air and nature. Even though it’s important to keep your distance from others to help slow the spread of the virus, we are still able to enjoy the outdoors. Try to get outside for a little bit every day. You can even use the time you spend outside to meditate or turn off your devices so you can spend some time firmly anchored in the physical world instead of the digital one.

Moving your body

Moving your body doesn’t have to mean punishing physical exercise. In fact, taking the time to move your body is an act of self-care. The idea of moving your body can be a wonderful tool to help manage loneliness, overwhelm or anxiety.

Allowing yourself to rest

If you want to dive into new projects or skills, by all means do so, but you’re under no obligation to right now. If you feel like you don’t have the bandwidth to try to be productive during this time, that is okay. You don’t have to be productive all the time, and many of us are in survival mode right now.

Doing something kind

If you’re in a position to help others right now, try to come up with some ways you can do so while still following social distancing guidelines. Can you pick up groceries for a neighbor and leave them on their porch? Can you sew masks and donate them to a facility that needs them? Can you donate to some fundraisers of folks out of work by this crisis? There are lots of creative ways to help.

Want to schedule a 10-minute call with our Intake Coordinator?  Check out our scheduling link here.

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