Eliza Sanford, M.S., LPC, NCC

January has a reputation problem. We’ve been told it’s the month of reinvention . “New year, new you”. Clean slates. Vision boards with suspiciously toned people smiling at salads.  But for many of us (especially after battling through 2025) January doesn’t feel like a fresh start. It feels like waking up after an emotional marathon, blinking into fluorescent light, asking: “Why is everyone yelling goals when my nervous system is whispering, please stop ?”  If January feels heavy, slow, or...

December often carries more than cheer. Alongside warmth and tradition, it can stir grief, nostalgia, pressure, and emotional fatigue. This reflection explores why feelings intensify during the holidays and offers gentle, therapeutic tools to help you set boundaries, honor memory, and care for your mental health as the year comes to a close.

As November ends and the season shifts, many of us feel a quiet emotional change—sometimes calming, sometimes heavy. Shorter days, holiday pressure, and old memories can make this time tender. This transition is an invitation to slow down, reflect, set boundaries, and care for your mental well-being. However you’re feeling, you’re not alone—and support is always within reach.