Navigating Complex Emotions During the Holiday Season

When the Holidays Bring Up More Than Just Joy

The holidays are often talked about as a time of connection, gratitude, and happiness. And while those moments can exist, they’re often mixed with other feelings such as stress, sadness, anxiety, grief, loneliness, or emotional exhaustion.

For many people, the holidays don’t feel simple. If this time of year feels heavier than you expected, you’re not alone.

Why the Holidays Can Feel So Hard

The end of the year has a way of bringing a lot to the surface, sometimes all at once.

Family gatherings can stir up old dynamics or unresolved pain. Traditions may highlight who is missing or how things have changed. Financial pressure, packed schedules, and expectations to “make it special” can be overwhelming especially with the current weight of the world.  And the spoken pressure to feel happy can make it even harder to acknowledge what’s actually going on inside.

Even when things look fine on the outside, your nervous system may be working overtime.

“I Should Be Fine”… But I’m Not

Many people feel guilty for struggling during the holidays. They tell themselves they should be grateful, they should be enjoying it more, they should be able to handle it. 

But mental health doesn’t pause because it’s a holiday sometimes it even pushes us more into overdrive.

When emotions are pushed down to keep the peace or avoid discomfort, they tend to show up in other ways like maybe irritability, tension, fatigue, trouble sleeping, feeling disconnected, or wanting to withdraw.

Struggling doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It means something inside you needs care and that's okay.

Naming It Can Be a Relief

You don’t have to explain everything or share with everyone. Sometimes simply acknowledging the truth, which might be to yourself or to one trusted person can make a difference.

That might sound like:

• “This time of year is harder for me.”

• “I’m trying my best, and I’m also overwhelmed.”

• “I need to slow down more than usual right now.”

• I have a few friends in my inner circle where we say comments like "I'm just feeling a little Grinchy right now" 

Honest moments like these create space for boundaries, self-compassion, and real connection.

Supporting Yourself Through the Season

If the holidays are bringing up a lot, consider these gentle reminders:

• You don’t have to do everything or be everywhere

• It’s okay to change traditions or opt out

• Rest is not laziness — it’s regulation

• Small grounding moments matter (quiet mornings, stepping outside, breathing deeply)

• You’re allowed to ask for help

Support doesn’t mean something is “wrong.” It means you’re responding to a difficult season with intention.

Therapy Can Help — Even During the Holidays

For some people, the holidays intensify anxiety, depression, trauma responses, grief, or relationship stress. For others, this season simply makes it harder to keep pushing feelings aside.

Therapy can be a place to slow down, make sense of what’s coming up, and feel less alone — without pressure to “fix” anything quickly.

You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from support.

You Don’t Have to Carry This Alone

The holidays can hold both meaningful moments and real difficulty at the same time. There’s room for both.

If this season feels heavy, our practice is here to support you. Reaching out, even now is allowed.

You deserve care, understanding, and support, especially during times that ask a lot of you. Charter Oak Family Center LLC is here to support you during this time and in the New Year!