Coping with Holiday Stress: Prioritizing Mental Health During a Busy Season
The holidays are meant to be joyful, but for many BIPOC women, they can bring additional stress and anxiety. Cultural and family expectations, combined with the demands of everyday life, can make the holiday season feel overwhelming. Therapy can help you approach this time with calm, clarity, and the confidence to prioritize your needs.
Common Holiday Stressors for BIPOC Women
Family Expectations and Boundaries:
Many women feel pressured to meet family expectations, whether it’s hosting gatherings, taking on additional responsibilities, or navigating family dynamics. Therapy helps you set boundaries that honor your energy and well-being.
Financial Strain and Guilt:
Financial obligations around gift-giving and holiday travel can be a significant source of stress. For BIPOC women who may feel culturally pressured to provide for extended family, managing these demands with a clear budget and boundaries is key.
Feeling Isolated or Misunderstood:
BIPOC women in multicultural settings may feel disconnected or pressured to conform to others’ holiday customs. Therapy offers tools to express your needs and maintain a strong sense of cultural identity.
Therapy Tools for Managing Holiday Stress
Mindfulness and Self-Reflection:
Use mindfulness exercises to stay present and grounded. Starting your day with a few minutes of mindfulness can set a calm tone for the day.
Boundary-Setting Conversations:
Practice having boundary-setting conversations with family. Be clear and kind about what you can and cannot take on this holiday season.
Creating Your Own Traditions:
Therapy encourages you to create holiday traditions that reflect your values and identity. This helps reduce feelings of obligation and brings more joy to the season.
Through therapy, BIPOC women can approach the holidays with greater control, confidence, and joy, letting go of what doesn’t serve them while embracing the traditions that do.
Looking for support with stress or anxiety in Walnut Creek, Oakland, or the greater San Francisco Bay Area?
At Empowered Mind Therapy Center, we are dedicated to offering compassionate care and unwavering support for individuals who are seeking personal growth and healing. Our highly experienced therapists specialize in trauma-informed therapy, ensuring you receive the utmost care and understanding.
Whether you call Walnut Creek, Hayward, or any other corner of the San Francisco Bay Area home, rest assured that we offer evidence-based treatment options customized to meet your unique needs. Our goal is to empower and support you on your path to healing and personal growth.
Our commitment to your well-being is unwavering. Let us be your source of strength and support as you journey towards healing and resilience.
If you're interested in starting counseling at Empowered Mind Therapy, follow these steps:
Get in touch with our Intake Coordinator at 925-257-0205 or book your free consultation.
Get started on your healing journey and finally feel better.
Other Services We Offer in the San Francisco Bay Area & Throughout California
In addition to providing online therapy, we also offer a variety of counseling services for women of color. This includes relief and support for depression, processing trauma, anxiety support, and relationship issues. Our caring therapists also offer Brainspotting, EMDR & EMDR Intensives. All of these services are available in person at our Walnut Creek, CA-based therapy practice or online throughout California.
About The Author
Jessica Hernandez, LCSW is a clinical therapist in the San Francisco Bay Area, providing therapy services at Empowered Mind Therapy Center, a therapy community where women of color thrive