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Using Mindfulness to Reduce Holiday Stress

Learn some tips from a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction therapist to reduce your holiday stress this season!
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image4The holidays have arrived… Cue the anxiety about family visiting, the stress that comes with preparation to make just about everything perfect, the overwhelming emotions of hosting large or intimate family and friends,  the pressure of staying on a “diet”, the financial stress of purchasing all things shiny,  and just overall stress of anything else you can think of. The holidays can be difficult for just about anyone. Here are some tips to help lower stress and stay present throughout the chaos.

Ways to make this Holiday Season Different:

Shift Your Mindset

It all starts with our mindset. Shifting our mindset can alter our perception and approach to the inevitable stress that accompanies family or friend gatherings. Our mindset,  attitude,  and openness can greatly impact the quality of the upcoming holiday.

Hold On to a Mantra

Start by adopting a Mantra or phrase that will refocus your attention to the “main priority” of the holiday season rather than getting lost in the small details. By adopting a mantra specific to you it’ll help remind you to elicit or dictate the type of emotions you want to associate with this holiday season. Mantras you use can be kind words from others,  song lyrics that align with your message,  scriptures that you find in religious texts,  excerpts from books,  or a message you create yourself such as a single word or a simple phrase that you use regularly to refocus and recenter. Your priority is to magnify the good and reiterate the meaning and intention of the holiday season (even if we burn the holiday ham).

 Slow Down with Gratitude

Another great step is to remember to pause and practice gratitude in the mayhem that is the “holiday”. By slowing down, we allow ourselves the opportunity to take a step back and respond to feeling overwhelmed rather than react.  This helps to eliminate poor interactions and decreases negative self talk. Things will go wrong,  schedules will get backed up and engagements will run longer than expected. Expect it and allow space for it. Leave time for being a human being and not just a “human doing”. In those moments of pausing,  remind yourself of the power of gratitude. Looking for the good in ourselves and others often attract good feelings.

Practice Non-Judgment

And lastly,  let go of judgement and the idea of perfectionism.  By removing this expectation we provide a space of authenticity and realistic attainable goals. One of the keys to allowing things to be perfectly imperfect is approaching each holiday stressor with an attitude of non-judgement towards ourselves and others. Once we start to put blame on others we open the door to critiquing our best efforts and ultimately building resentment and bringing additional stress and suffering.

Prioritize your intentions this holiday season and avoid burnout by implementing some of these tips into the next few hectic weeks. And if all else fails,  remember that this too shall pass.

Want to learn more about Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and how to implement these evidence-based techniques into your daily life? Sign up for our 6 Week MBSR Course starting on January 13th. Info at registration at NourishYourMind.com/Events 

Amanda N. Karam, LMHC, FNS, MBSR

Nourish Your Mind – Integrative Mental Health

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BIO

Cameryn (Cam) received her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marist College. Prior to joining Nourish Your Mind, she worked in private practice, primarily serving children, teens, and their families. During this time, she developed a passion for helping clients navigate their unique challenges through the transformative power of play and expressive arts therapy. Cam believes that every individual deserves a safe, nurturing space where they can authentically express themselves. She is dedicated to empowering her clients by identifying and utilizing their inherent strengths to help them achieve their personal goals.

In her therapeutic approach, Cam integrates a holistic wellness model with strengths- and mindfulness-based methods. She employs a variety of evidence-based techniques, including DBT and Nondirective Play Therapy, and she recognizes the importance of tailoring interventions to meet the specific needs of each individual and family.

When she’s not in the office, Cam enjoys reading, traveling, weight-lifting, and immersing herself in music and films. She also values spending quality time with friends, family, and her cats.

  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor
  • Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling, Marist College
  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, SUNY Geneseo
  • Member of the American Counseling Association (ACA)
  • Middletown Office
BIO

Brianna earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Siena College and her Master of Social Work degree from Adelphi University. Throughout her education and early career, she worked with at-risk adolescents experiencing trauma and maladaptive coping as both a clinician and crisis interventionist. She later spent several years in emergency services, specializing in trauma-informed care for adolescents and adults. Brianna has extensive experience working with individuals struggling with trauma, anxiety, depression, mood dysregulation, self-esteem, and relationship challenges.

Brianna takes a strength-based, integrative approach to therapy, empowering clients to discover their own path toward healing and self-acceptance. She believes that while we cannot change the past, we can change our relationship with it. She is passionate about helping clients develop effective coping skills, reconnect with their inner resilience, and build lives that extend beyond surviving trauma.

Brianna believes healing is not only a journey of the mind, but a whole-body experience. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) and thoughtfully incorporates mind-body practices into therapy to support nervous system regulation, mindfulness, and emotional awareness. She is also certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), an evidence-based trauma treatment that helps clients process distressing experiences, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), offering a holistic approach for individuals seeking deeper healing from trauma, depression, anxiety, and other emotional challenges. By integrating traditional psychotherapy with somatic approaches and specialized trauma treatments, Brianna helps clients create lasting, meaningful change.

Above all, Brianna is dedicated to creating a safe, compassionate, and authentic therapeutic environment where clients feel seen, supported, and empowered to reconnect with their truest selves.

Brianna resides in Orange County with her two rescue huskies. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, spending time in nature, painting, practicing yoga, and cooking while surrounded by music, friends, and family.

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker, State of New York
  • Master’s of Social Work, Adelphi University
  • Master’s of Social Work, Adelphi University RYT-200
  • Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) Certified, Journey Clinical
  • Accelerated Resolution Therapy Trained, Rosenzweig Center for Rapid Recovery
  • Middletown Office
BIO

Ashley received her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from SUNY New Paltz. While attending her graduate program, Ashley worked as a supervisor at a Crisis Intervention Program and interned at an Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program, gaining valuable skills in crisis management and group therapy. Before joining Nourish Counseling, she spent several years working in a long-term outpatient care clinic specializing in children, adolescents and their families. Ashley has expertise in partnering with those suffering from depression, anxiety, trauma, family conflict, and personality disorders.

Ashley believes that each client is their own expert. She provides an integrative approach that focuses on both the thoughts and behaviors her clients may be struggling with in order to help them find balance and build resiliency. She works with clients in a person-centered and skill building approach to help determine and reach their own individual goals. Following a Dialectical Behavioral and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach, she encourages and supports clients to reach their full potential.

Ashley lives in Middletown, NY with her husband and a very loved dog. She enjoys family time, cooking, and trying new things whenever possible.

  • American Counseling Association
  • Middletown Office
BIO

Amanda is a Certified Clinicial Trauma Professional with a deep commitment to guiding clients through their healing and discovery. She believes that you are the expert of your own life, and she is dedicated to building a safe, collaborative space where you feel both validated and motivated for change. 

Amanda specializes in treating those with Complex Trauma, Grief and Loss, Anxiety and Depression, Chronic Illness, Infertility, Infant/Pregnancy Loss, Women’s Health and Neurodivergent Disorders. She works with individuals aged 5 and up. 

Amanda’s unique, holistic approach to psychothreapy is rooted in evidence-based practices and tailored to fit your specific clinical needs. She seamlessly integrates practices like mindfulness and meditation with powerful theraputic modalities, including Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Internal Family Systems Therapy. 

After gaining experience in Baltimore – including intensive work in Residential Foster Care and as a Medical Social Worker – Amanda has been settled back in her home, the Hudson Valley. She enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with her husband and two young daughters. She has journeyed with cleints for nearly 5 years at Nourish and is now ready to partner with you!

  • Cornwall Office
  • Middletown Office