Understanding the emotions behind giving and receiving gifts during the holidays. I hear about this all the time and yet, very infrequently do we think about why this is the case. Often, someone’s distaste for gifts is thought of as a quirky personality trait, similar to people who either love or hate their birthdays. But both gift-giving and receiving can evoke a lot of emotions. Out of curiosity, I reviewed some scientific literature on the subject. Unsurprisingly, much of

Help with overcoming loneliness and finding the beauty in being by yourself. For many, the holidays present as a very difficult time to be alone. Whether this means you are single, cannot afford to take time off from work or are not able to visit family, or simply choose to be alone, it’s actually quite common to spend some or all of the holiday season by yourself. Although the answer to this question is particularly pertinent at this time, it can also be a challenge to spend

Help with handling difficult situations during the holiday season. Happy holidays everyone! We are in the thick of the holiday season and by now we have made it through Thanksgiving. I wanted to hold off on this post, hoping that some of the answer would involve some self-reflection on your part. Think about last week and take an inventory on how it went: Was there conflict? If so, how did you react to that conflict? Why do you think you reacted in this way? Were there old fa