As we approach the start of a new school year, it is not uncommon for children to experience a surge of anxiety. The transition from the relaxed days of summer to the structured routine of school can be overwhelming and stressful. As parents, it is crucial for us to provide the support and guidance our children need to navigate these emotions.

We have all experienced signs of stress, whether we are juggling work, our relationships, school, finances, kids, or every day tasks our lives are busy and down right demanding at times! So, it’s no wonder we feel…STRESSED!  Stress is something we have all experienced and is a necessary part of our lives (I might add). We do need small amounts of stress to motivate us to complete tasks. And while stress can be helpful, we all know how it can hinder us.

You get caught up in the idea that you need to create the perfect holiday experience for yourself and for those around you. Each holiday season you set extremely high hopes that this year will *finally* be different. Yet, you often fall short of these expectations that you put on yourself. You often become overly stressed and anxious because of the added pressures of the December month. And while you had good intentions at the start of the month, you have set the stage for your inner critic to take the spotlight because you feel that you have fallen short. 

By the end of Thanksgiving Day, you don’t feel like the confident adult you know you are, feel anxious, overwhelmed, annoyed and drained. You feel your old wounds reopened and you want to retreat inside of yourself because the comments you feel like you already dealt with, still hurt you. You are still bothered by the family drama that you find yourself dragged into, even though you thought you set that boundary. You're angry and even upset because you thought that this year would finally be different.

Stress follows you everywhere! And as much as you want to avoid it, you cannot. Which is why it is important to take space to understand your own stress. Even though at times, it can feel extremely overwhelming, taking space to be curious about your own stress will not only help you but improve your everyday life.

Putting off self- care? Julia Salerno, one of our graduate level therapists, opens up about her journey to accepting her need for self-care..

I’ve created a list of 5 simple ways you can create more space in your day utilizing mindfulness to prevent burnout and overwhelm.

As you might have heard, depression, anxiety and suicide rates are significantly higher among the LGBTQ community. The question is what will help build some resiliency? Well, there are a number of ways to help build resiliency in yourself or in those you love who may be struggling. Here are Spilove Psychotherapy's top five.