A re-post from last year. Enjoy, friends:
Holidays can be a bittersweet time if you are an adult with a history of abuse or neglect in your family of origin. As a child, holidays are filled with anticipation and magic, children hold onto the hope that this holiday or new year will be amazing and wonderful. If you grew up in a home where there was abuse or addiction, holidays could be filled with anxiety and disappointment. It’s no wonder that many adult survivors of abuse approach the holidays with a mix of anxiety and anticipation.
So now that you are an adult you get to do things differently, but it’s hard to not be flooded with memories and feelings of years past. In order to re-claim the holidays for yourself think of the following tools:
-Create new holiday traditions that are different from your family of origin in order to really own them and make them yours.
-If you choose to use holiday traditions from your family of origin claim them as your own by being clear about why you choose to continue them.
-Select to have alternative or additional holiday celebrations with friends if family events are too emotionally charged.
-Work in DAILY self-care such as exercise and meditation in order to counteract all of the excess that goes on this season.
-If you choose to stay connected with family that still pushes your buttons, surround yourself in a “bubble” of light before you interact with them and resolve to experiment with different reactions to see if those reactions feel better. For example, if you typically get upset in response to negative comments, what about remaining detached or using humor? Change it up and see what happens.
-Of course, get some support if you need or want it. You already deserve it. Call today for your free 20 minute phone consult. Well…call after the holidays. I’ll be back January 5, 2012. 
Wishing you a peaceful and magical holiday season,
Lindsey Plumer
