Coping with Anxiety and Depression During the Holiday Season

Course overview

The holidays can be a joyous time for some people, but for others the holidays bring on anxiety and depression. Having ways to manage these challenging times is essential for well-being and management of mental health. Clinicians are often searching for specific strategies to assist their clients who are struggling with anxiety and depression during the holiday season. This workshop, Dianne Bigler, LCSW, will help clinicians to identify clients who may need specific clinical assessment completed to assess their holiday stress. Dynamics of anxiety and depression will be discussed, specifically societal and cultural influences around the meaning of holidays. We will explore which clients may benefit from targeted interventions for managing holiday discomfort and stress. Strategies that are influenced by CBT, DBT, Solution-focused brief therapy, and ACT will be highlighted.