The Lighted Path LLC
Published: November 2025
The holidays often bring a mix of emotions—joy, nostalgia, connection, and sometimes, stress. Between family gatherings, financial pressures, and high expectations, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
At The Lighted Path, we understand that mental health can take a backseat during this busy time of year. Our therapists offer seven gentle, therapist-approved tips to help you stay grounded, calm, and emotionally balanced through the season.
1. Manage Your Expectations
It’s easy to imagine the holidays as perfectly peaceful and picture-perfect—but real life rarely looks that way. Try to let go of what should happen and focus instead on what’s meaningful right now. When we release unrealistic expectations, we make space for presence, gratitude, and genuine connection.
2. Let Go of the Fantasy
Not every family gathering will be joyful, and that’s okay. Some relationships carry tension, history, or emotional weight. You can’t control how others act, but you can control how you respond. By adjusting your expectations and choosing peace over perfection, you empower yourself to stay grounded even in challenging moments.
3. Check In With Yourself
Throughout the holidays, take intentional pauses to notice how you’re feeling—emotionally and physically. If you sense rising tension or fatigue, step away for a short reset. Go for a walk, listen to calming music, stretch, or breathe deeply. Small self-checks prevent emotional overwhelm and strengthen your self-awareness.
4. Have a Plan for Stressful Moments
Instead of waiting until you’re overwhelmed, make a plan for when stress shows up. Who can you call for support? What helps you relax—a hot shower, journaling, or watching a comforting movie? Having a go-to self-care list keeps you from getting stuck in the moment and reminds you that help and calm are within reach.
5. Pause and Breathe
Deep, mindful breathing helps signal safety to your body. Try placing a hand on your chest and one on your belly, breathing slowly in through your nose, and exhaling gently through your mouth. This simple practice helps lower anxiety and restores balance—something you can do anywhere, anytime.
6. Honor Happy Memories
The holidays can also bring feelings of grief for loved ones who have passed. Instead of avoiding the sadness, try acknowledging it with compassion. Share joyful memories, tell stories, or look through old photos. Remembering with love allows both healing and connection to coexist.
7. Stay Connected
Loneliness can quietly intensify during the holidays. Reach out to friends, family, or your community—even if it’s a simple text, a local event, or volunteering. Connection reminds us that we’re not alone, and giving to others often restores joy within ourselves.
How Therapy Can Help
If this season feels heavier than usual, therapy can be a safe and grounding space to process emotions, set boundaries, and strengthen coping tools.
At The Lighted Path LLC, our licensed therapists in Edgewood and Albuquerque, New Mexico specialize in helping individuals manage anxiety, depression, grief, and family stress—especially during emotionally charged times like the holidays.
Let us help you reconnect with peace, presence, and purpose this season.
Learn more about our counseling services in Edgewood and Albuquerque