Christmas can be particularly difficult to negotiate for lots of us. It can bring back sad and painful memories of rubbishy Christmas times – divorces, domestic scuffles, abuse etc. This is commonly known that not all people are happy around Christmas time and a lot of us make allowances in our own minds. Commonly making ourselves feel better knowing that sending Christmas cards, texts on Christmas Day and ultimately buying gifts for others shows you are not forgetting them.
Less commonly however is remembering that services close over Christmas. This can be particularly difficult when in the middle of painful work with clients.
Coping with no counselling contact for two – three weeks can be torturous and excruciating.
Services will often put in coping strategies … here’s some to help us manage difficult thoughts and feelings over Christmas time:
1. Talk through a coping strategy with your therapist – talk through what if situations and get a plan in place.
2. Speak to the Samaritans – can be a good way to vocalise feelings just to get you through a particularly emotionally turbulent time. Their number is 08457 90 90 90 or 116 123.
3. Do what you need to do – keep busy, go sit alone in a quiet space, write things down, cry … do what YOU NEED TO DO.
4. Know that this is a short time and you CAN get through it. Most services open wither the first week of January or in between Christmas and New Year.
5. Re read things you found helpful in the past, listen to music, watch films, keep busy and you will get through it, there’s always tomorrow.