Tips for Surviving the Holidays When Newly Separated

For most people, the holiday season represents happy times spent with loved ones. However, for the children (young and adult) of newly separated parents, and for the parents themselves, this first big holiday with a fractured family can feel like a nightmare.

If you are undergoing stress and anxiety due to separation, it’s important to remember you are not alone and seeking counseling in Las Vegas may be an important step for your well-being. To help you go beyond simply surviving the holidays, consider the following tips for an enjoyable holiday season:

• Create new traditions. As sad and as hard as it might be, it’s important to let some traditions go or fade a bit. It is important to create new holiday rituals both with your new household and with your friends. Facilitating the change-up of tradition will help you and your family spend the time together creating new memories to alleviate the stress that inherently comes with a shift away from the family norm.
• Set emotional boundaries. You do not have to play referee. Remember, the holidays are a time of celebration and togetherness. Keep this time uplifting, positive, and full of cheer by insisting on emotional boundaries before visiting with anyone. Examples include no bashing of the other parent. If you have a sibling or are visiting with a friend, ask them to help you in asserting these boundaries.
• Be present. Do not dwell on the changed and potentially upsetting dynamics of your separated family. Instead, focus on the new blessings and opportunities this change brings, such as the new traditions. Focus on ways to spend time implementing self care. Turn off the Internet and spend time doing yard work, reading a favorite book, or even going out to serve a meal at your local soup kitchen. Being present and doing, making, giving, or creating something will go a long way in improving your mental health.

Get Counseling in Las Vegas at Kayenta

Finally, remember to take care of yourself. Learning how to put your mental and emotional health first is a large part of counseling in Las Vegas. It is easy for the stress of holidays and the anticipation of dealing with a separation to cause anxiety and bouts of depression. Stay healthy and happy with exercise and the above tips for a more easy-going and less stressful holiday.

To learn more about navigating a changing family dynamic, and make an appointment for counseling in Las Vegas, contact Kayenta at 702-438-7800.