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Finding Your Joy This Holiday

Finding Your Joy This Holiday

Thanksgiving and Christmas are happy times for most people – times spent with family, loved ones, and neighbors and friends. However for some, these two holidays specifically engender stress, depression, and a feeling of loneliness and loss. For many, these holidays are the worst time of the year – more so than Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Memorial Day. What many people don’t realize, or refuse to acknowledge, are the medical conditions related directly to these feelings. It’s natural to feel sad or to miss someone who has passed, to feel empty, lonely, not wanted, or not loved. What’s harmful is facing these emotions alone.

Holidays can be difficult. Maybe you can’t afford to fulfill a child’s dream or purchase presents for family and friends. Secret Santa’s at work are a lot of fun, but $10.00 is a lot of money. Stores sell out of favorite toys, decorations remind you of a recent loss, lights are flashing, music is playing, and once again you’re eating burnt turkey. Lines are long, people are pushing and shoving trying to find everything on the list, traffic is backed up, stores are crowded, and those babies won’t stop crying. Lights go out on a tree you spent hours decorating, flights are delayed, flights are cancelled, it’s hot, it’s cold, it’s raining, it’s snowing, and the fliers, coupons, and catalogs keep coming.

The counselors at Improving Lives Counseling Services are here for you. Protect yourself and your loved ones (especially if you’ve suffered a family crisis or family loss) by reaching out for help. Our counseling staff can provide guidance and support in acknowledging your feelings, transitioning through disappointment and change, accepting circumstances – self-talk, self-realization and in learning how to say “no” without feeling ashamed or guilty.

It’s true! A better life lies within your reach. You too can find excitement and joy in gatherings, reunions, parties, and social events.

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