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Even Caring Families Encounter Problems...but Healthy
Families Seek Solutions
 Give us a call
at 918.745.0095
Brenda, Rachel, Tina or Terri are available to help!
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Dear Friends,
Welcome to the Christian Family
Institute (CFI) December Newsletter. We hope to bring relevant
information in this Newsletter to help you thrive during the holiday
season with supportive articles and recommendations from our staff at
CFI. Please feel free to forward this on to friends and family who
might benefit from the information.
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Tips for reducing holiday stress
With our overcommitted schedules, it is often difficult to avoid
stressing
out over the holidays. Here are a few ideas to help keep you sane
during
this stressful time.
- Take care of yourself. Remember to eat well, sleep well, and
exercise. You will have much more energy to make things special
for your family. Have healthy snacks on hand to curb the holiday
munching on cookies and candies.
- Set limits and a budget. Make a list of all of the people you
have to buy for and how much you plan to spend on each person.
Keep a running list of the gifts you have purchased. This will keep you
from overspending.
- Be realistic. Sit down with a calendar and set realistic
goals. How much time do you have each week to devote to shopping
and cooking? Block out time on your schedule to prioritize the
most important things.
- Do not expect perfection. Unrealistic expectations are a major
cause of stress.
- Delegate. Ask for help with shopping and food
preparation. Ask everyone to bring along a dish to family
get-togethers. This spreads the expense and the time.
- Prioritize. Remember that you don't have to attend every open
house and holiday party. Practice saying, "No thank you. We
already have plans for that date, but, thank you for the invitation."
- Don't forget to breathe. Take three deep cleansing breaths each
morning and each evening. This will help keep the oxygen flowing
and you will recall this skill during times of high stress.
Jamie Brandon, M.S., LMFT
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Grief in Bleak Midwinter
If you have lost a loved one in the last year,
then you may find this holiday season to be painful. Instead of
celebrating, you may find yourself feeling very sad, angry and wanting
to isolate. People often find the first holiday after a significant
loss to be the most difficult. You may be asking yourself "How am I
going to get through this Christmas?" Here are a few suggestions for
working your way through:
1)Set realistic expectations for yourself.
2)Make
sure you take care of yourself.
3)Keep on grieving.
4)Keep
talking.
5)Do something to honor your loved one.
Grief can be a difficult and complicated process
and a holiday season will often add to the struggle. If you feel you
need extra help and support during this time, please contact us. Any of
our therapists can help you
through your grief.
Links to local grief resources:
Asbury GriefShare
Arrow Heights Life Support
Jill Butler, MS, LMFT
www.jillbutlertherapy.com
For more information and for the full article text, click here
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Avoiding Holiday Blues
Strategies to Minimize Holiday Blues
1. Create new traditions
2. Focus on what God expects of you
3. Boycott the mall!
4. Set aside time to grieve
5. Be proactive in preventing lonliness
6. "Cut the apron strings" and place family priorities
above families-of-origin.
Originally posted on Bowden McElroy's Counseling Notes Blog, Nov. 21,
2007.
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We hope your holiday season is blessed! If CFI can be
of any assistance during the holidays, please contact us.
Sincerely,
Timothy Doty, Psy.D. on behalf of
Christian Family Institute
Our Staff includes:
Dale R. Doty, Ph.D.
William B. Berman, Ph.D.
G. Bowden McElroy, M.Ed.
Eric L. Clements, M.S.
Jill E. Butler, M.S.
Salley Sutmiller, M.S.
Lois K. Trost, M.S.W.
Jamie Brandon, M.S.
Amber R. Sherrell, M.S.
Timothy D. Doty, Psy.D.
Stephen Harnish, M.D.
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