In talking with my fellow therapists, it seems that the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year for our practice. It makes a great deal of sense considering the stress and pressure present arising from buying gifts, setting up decorations, and preparing large meals, not to mention dealing with some difficult family dynamics, all while trying to keep Christ in Christmas. Therefore, I want to share two suggestions that I discuss with clients during the holiday season in hopes of allowing for more peace and serenity.
First and most importantly, we need to remind ourselves of the true meaning of Advent and Christmas. Christ is coming, and we need to be prepared spiritually, as it says in the Gospel from the first weekend of Advent, “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come” (Mk 13:34-35). I know that our busy lives do not just stop for this season: our children have final tests, our houses crave to be lit with lights and trees, travel plans need to be made, and it seems that there is always an event that pops up on our calendar! These are part of the season, but we can too easily get caught up in the events, and neglect our prayer life.
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