Help For Navigating Stress and the Holidays

The holiday season is often portrayed as a time of joy, happiness, and togetherness. However, for many individuals, stress and the holidays go hand in hand. The societal expectation to embrace merriment can paradoxically result in heightened stress, anxiety, and loneliness. Despite the common portrayal of the holidays as universally cheerful, various factors contribute to a more nuanced experience. Nevertheless, there are proactive steps we can take to support ourselves and others during this complex time.

Perfection Expectation: Stress and the Holidays

One of the main reasons why the holidays can be challenging is the expectation of perfection. We’re bombarded with images of perfect families, perfect decorations, and perfect gifts. It’s easy to feel like we’re falling short, especially if we’re dealing with difficult family dynamics, financial problems, or simply don’t have the energy to create the perfect holiday experience. This pressure can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and a sense of inadequacy.

Socializing Struggles: Navigating Isolation During the Holidays

Another reason why holidays can be tough is the emphasis on socializing. For people who struggle with social anxiety or who don’t have a strong support system, the holiday season can feel incredibly isolating. We’re told that we should be spending time with loved ones, but what if we don’t have anyone to spend time with? This can be particularly challenging for people who coping with grief during the holidays, such as the death of a loved one or a breakup. 

Financial Stress: The Weight of Holiday Expenses

The financial burden of the holidays can also be a significant source of stress. We’re told that we need to buy gifts for everyone on our list, and that these gifts should be thoughtful and meaningful. For people who are struggling financially, this can be an impossible task. It’s easy to feel like we’re letting people down if we can’t afford to buy them the gifts they want or need.

Supporting Each Other: Honest Conversations and Compassionate Actions

So, what can we do to support ourselves and others during this difficult time, easing the burden of stress and the holidays? One of the most important things we can do is to be honest about our feelings. It’s okay to admit that we’re struggling, and to ask for help if we need it. We can also reach out to others who may be struggling and offer our support. This could mean inviting someone over for a holiday meal, volunteering at a local shelter or food bank, or simply checking in on a friend who we know is having a tough time. 

Embracing Imperfection: Redefining the Holiday Experience

It’s also important to remember that the holidays don’t have to be perfect. We can let go of the pressure to create the perfect holiday experience and instead focus on what’s truly important: spending time with the people we love. This might mean scaling back on gift-giving, simplifying our holiday traditions, or simply taking a break from the chaos and spending some quiet time alone.

Ultimately, the holidays aren’t always merry, and that’s okay. It’s important to acknowledge the challenges that come with this time of year and to offer support and compassion to ourselves and others. By focusing on what’s truly important and letting go of the pressure to be perfect, we can find moments of joy and connection even in the midst of difficulty.

Written by: Teresa Gouch, LPC.  Teresa offers online therapy. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with Teresa, call us at 412-856-WELL or contact us here.

Deciding to begin therapy is never an afterthought. Therapy requires a significant level of vulnerability. Add in the worry over choosing which therapist is the right one for you, makes the decision even more impactful. Imagine you’re reading a therapist bio on a therapy website and you see the word intern listed alongside a description of a provider. What would you think? Here’s why selecting a Counseling Intern could be the right choice for you:

Counseling Interns Are Always Learning

As interns work to complete their Master’s degree, they are active in receiving education on various techniques and theories for treatment. Interns are constantly researching the best forms of treatment for their unique and specific client needs.

Interns work alongside their educators, facilities, supervisors, and coworkers to hone their skills in providing superior client care. Interns are well informed in current treatment strategies and theories. Interns spend the majority of their time learning how to harness their understanding in theoretical work to be effective counselors for all possible client situations.

Counseling Interns are Fresh Faced

Although counseling interns have less client-facing experience than licensed therapists, they are filled with up-to-date research. With interns experiencing things for the first time, there is less room for comparison to prior cases. Interns are energized by treating their clients in comparison to being burnt out from experience. Interns are willing to apply all information learned to provide consistent and complete mental health care for their clients. The energy exuded from interns is often contagious and creates an open therapeutic relationship.

Counseling Interns Receive Close Supervision With Their Case Load

With the understanding that interns are in the process of attaining a Master’s degree, they often have at minimum one supervisor at the therapy practice. Most educational programs require student interns to receive supervision through the university in addition to site supervision. This system allows for fully licensed, credentialed, and experienced counselors to assist interns with effective therapy.

Interns review and consult with their supervisors on all cases, providing thorough assessment. Essentially, having an intern is like having two counselors strive to provide the best form of treatment for you! Interns are more receptive to feedback and open to adaptation. Feedback and openness allow for interns to become the best form of professional that they strive to be.

Counseling Interns Are Less Expensive And More Available

Due to their student status, interns are not fully licensed. At an intern level, mental health providers cannot accept insurance so interns accept self-pay clientele. Mental Health Practices have a sliding fee scale or reduced cost for interns. Thus, interns can offer financial relief at a budget friendly cost.

As interns build their clientele, they often have more room for clients than established professionals. There is no need to wait for treatment when there is an available option for you. Managing fewer clients allows interns to be more focused to your case and your needs. Interns have more time to prepare and plan between sessions, making sure that your time is well spent.

Counseling Interns Are Limitless

With today’s challenging academic nature, modern interns are well informed, well educated, and willing to do the hard work.

Interns are also:

• Always looking for the best avenue to help their clients find comfortability in life.
• Willing to ask hard questions, attempt new routes, and work with multiple professionals to provide critical care.
• Free of misconceptions nor do they feel run down from constant repetition.
• Advocating for the needs, wants, and representations of people in everyday life. Their passion is limitless and their care is expansive.

Written by Edisa Music, Counseling Intern. If you’d like to schedule an appointment with Edisa, please call us at 412-322-2129.

If you’re here, congratulations on taking the first step and beginning therapy! Deciding to go to therapy is a major step in overcoming issues like anxiety or depression, healing trauma, getting support to cope with difficult life transitions, managing stress or working on developing healthier relationships. We asked the therapists at the Counseling and Wellness Center of Pittsburgh to share their suggestions for how to get the most out of therapy.

1. Be consistent with your appointments. When we go to physical therapy after an injury, it is only by being consistent in our treatment that we get better in a timely way. Mental Health Therapy is the same.
2. Have an accurate perspective on the role your counselor has. They are a facilitator, helping you identify goals, steps for reaching these goals, and barriers that may get in the way. The therapist is not there to ‘fix’ you, the work is on your part.
3. Timing is important and change happens over time. We may not be ready to address every concern or goal at the same time. As long as we keep working on what is important at the time, we are making progress and moving forward. To get an accurate perspective on your growth, don’t just look ahead at where you are not, look back at where you were and how far you’ve come.
4. Put in the work. The therapy hour is once per week. While therapy offers skills, opportunities for discovery and ways to challenge your thought patterns and beliefs, it works best when these tools are applied outside of the therapy office and in between sessions.
5. Keep a therapy journal to take notes during your therapy session as well as notes throughout the week to be addressed during your next session. This helps keep treatment productive and makes sure that clients are reminded of things important from their sessions during the week.
6. Therapy is about change. Be eager for change in your life. Be willing to challenge yourself.
7. Don’t give up if you don’t see results right away. Therapy is a process, and mental health is an ongoing journey.

Ready to Get Started With Therapy?

Call 412-322-2129 to get scheduled with a therapist or fill out the form below.

Cover Photo by Leah Kelley

Journal Photo by Alina Vilchenko

White Woman in Van in Nature Photo and Bike Photo by Alex Azabache

Black Woman Working at Desk Photo by Anna Krasnikova