Discover eight effective strategies to help your clients manage mental health and Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is a season filled with warmth and connection, but for many, it can also bring unique stressors, particularly for those managing mental health conditions. In fact, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that 64% of people with mental illness report that the holiday season, including Thanksgiving, can worsen their symptoms. Supporting clients in managing mental health over Thanksgiving requires compassion, practical strategies, and the right tools to make this time of year less overwhelming.
Here are eight practical ways to support your clients in managing mental health during Thanksgiving and how CounSol.com can make this season more manageable for you both.
1. Encourage Boundaries and Realistic Expectations
Thanksgiving gatherings can come with complicated family dynamics. Setting boundaries and encouraging clients to manage realistic expectations are essential for maintaining mental health during Thanksgiving. Using CounSol.com’s secure messaging feature, you can remind clients of their boundaries and set up helpful, timely reminders to ensure they’re taking care of themselves.
2. Emphasize Self-Care and Routines
Self-care can be hard to prioritize during the holidays. Encourage clients to create a simple routine that includes daily self-care activities such as journaling, meditation, or taking a break for a walk. Using CounSol.com’s journaling tool, clients can reflect on their feelings and progress, which can be a calming and grounding exercise as they work on managing mental health over Thanksgiving.
3. Help Clients Manage Time and Avoid Overcommitment
Thanksgiving can be overwhelming with holiday events, family obligations, and shopping. Time management is critical to avoid burnout. Using CounSol.com’s scheduling tools, you can help clients create a day-to-day plan and establish boundaries around their time, allowing them to enjoy the holiday season without the stress of an overbooked schedule.
4. Focus on Gratitude
Gratitude has been shown to reduce stress and improve mental health, making it an ideal tool for the Thanksgiving season. Encourage clients to keep a gratitude journal where they can reflect on something they’re thankful for each day.
5. Recommend Limiting Social Media
Social media can lead to unrealistic expectations about the “perfect” holiday, adding unnecessary pressure. Help clients manage mental health over Thanksgiving by encouraging them to limit their social media use and avoid comparisons with others.
6. Suggest Creating an Emergency Self-Care Toolkit
The Thanksgiving season can trigger moments of heightened anxiety, so preparing clients with an “emergency self-care toolkit” can be a game-changer. This toolkit could include items or activities that bring comfort, such as a favorite book, a breathing exercise, or music. Personalized self-care guides can provide a quick and effective way to stay calm when stress arises.
7. Encourage Volunteerism as a Path to Connection
For clients feeling isolated or lonely, volunteering can provide a sense of purpose and reduce feelings of isolation. Volunteering not only benefits the community but also offers mood-boosting benefits for those struggling during Thanksgiving.
8. Emphasize the Importance of Continued Therapy and Professional Support
With the stressors of Thanksgiving, therapy can be an essential part of a client’s support network. Keeping up with therapy sessions provides clients with a safe space to discuss holiday-related triggers and build coping strategies. CounSol.com’s telehealth feature allows you to connect with clients virtually, ensuring they can access support without the stress of travel, and making managing mental health during Thanksgiving as seamless as possible.
Use CounSol.com To Better Support Your Clients This Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving can be a particularly challenging time for mental health, and by using CounSol.com’s secure, user-friendly tools—such as scheduling, journaling, telehealth, and messaging—you can provide clients with the support they need to make the season manageable and positive. Helping clients navigate Thanksgiving with resilience and care is possible with thoughtful guidance and effective tools that simplify communication and organization.
For more resources, NAMI offers tips on maintaining mental health through Thanksgiving and the holiday season, including the benefits of gratitude, self-care, and consistent therapy. Integrating Counsol.com tools with these practices equips clients to experience Thanksgiving with confidence, calm, and balance.
For more resources and tools to optimize your therapy practice, visit CounSol.com today.
