December Mental Health Survival Guide: Tools You Can Use Today
December can be a beautiful month. It can also be one of the most emotionally complicated times of the year. For many people, the holiday rush, financial pressure, family expectations, disrupted routines, and shorter days create a perfect storm of stress. If you have been feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or emotionally stretched thin, you are not alone. The good news is that with the right tools, December can become more manageable, more grounded, and even more meaningful.
At Palm Atlantic Behavioral Health, we understand that the holiday season often brings out the very symptoms people have been trying to manage all year. This guide offers therapy informed tools you can use today, along with support options that meet you where you are, including virtual therapy across Florida and insurance or superbill guidance.
Why December Feels Harder Than Other Months
Before jumping into coping strategies, it helps to understand why your emotions can shift so dramatically at this time of year.
Common stress points include:
Increased financial pressure
Overloaded schedules and holiday obligations
Family tensions that resurface
Changes in routine or sleep
Seasonal affective shifts
Grief or emotional memories connected to the holidays
Loneliness or isolation
These pressures can amplify symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, and chronic stress. Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward creating a plan that supports your emotional well being.
Tool 1: Create Micro Boundaries for Emotional Protection
Boundaries do not always need to be large or dramatic. Sometimes small, intentional limits can make the biggest difference.
Examples of micro boundaries include:
Saying you will attend an event for one hour instead of the entire evening
Letting someone know you are unavailable for immediate responses
Stepping away from conversations that feel tense or triggering
Scheduling time for rest between gatherings
If setting boundaries feels uncomfortable, therapy can help you develop the confidence and language to communicate your needs without guilt.
Tool 2: Ground Yourself Twice a Day
Grounding practices train your nervous system to regulate before stress escalates. You can start with two short moments each day.
Try this simple exercise:
5 4 3 2 1 grounding
Notice 5 things you can see
Notice 4 things you can touch
Notice 3 things you can hear
Notice 2 things you can smell
Notice 1 thing you can taste or imagine tasting
This technique helps reduce physical stress responses and brings your mind back to the present. Many of our clients use grounding as a daily anchor during December.
Tool 3: Build a Low Effort Coping Plan
A coping plan should not require energy you do not have. Instead, focus on tools that are simple and accessible.
Examples include:
A playlist that instantly calms your nervous system
A short walk outdoors for daylight
A warm shower to relax your muscles
A pre written text you can send when you need support
A five minute breathing exercise before social events
If you would like a structured version, you can download our free December Coping Checklist on our website.
Tool 4: Normalize Mental Health Breaks
Many people push through the holiday season without pausing to reset. Scheduling mental health breaks is not avoidance. It is maintenance.
Try adding breaks such as:
A quiet morning ritual
A midday reset with coffee or tea
A short screen free moment each evening
A weekly therapy session to process emotions
Palm Atlantic Behavioral Health offers virtual therapy sessions that fit into busy schedules and provide space to decompress.
Tool 5: Make a Plan for Insurance and Reimbursement
December is also a month when many people want to begin therapy but worry about cost. If you are feeling unsure about insurance, do not let that delay your care.
Palm Atlantic Behavioral Health is in network with Aetna and Optum or UnitedHealthcare for therapy services. For all other plans, we provide superbill support that makes it easier to request out of network reimbursement. Many clients receive partial reimbursement, depending on their plan.
Our team can guide you through the steps so that finances do not become another stressor during the holiday season.
Tool 6: Learn to Pause Before Reacting
Family interactions can be activating. When your nervous system feels threatened, you may respond quickly or emotionally without meaning to.
Try the Pause Before Responding technique:
Stop
Take one breath
Ask yourself what outcome you want
Respond from intention rather than emotion
Practicing this skill can dramatically reduce conflict, emotional overload, and post interaction guilt.
How Therapy Can Support You Through December
Therapy is not only for moments of crisis. The holidays are an ideal time to create structure, tools, and emotional support.
Our therapists at Palm Atlantic Behavioral Health can help you with:
Managing holiday anxiety
Coping with grief or loneliness
Reducing stress
Navigating family dynamics
Staying emotionally regulated
Building stronger boundaries
ADHD and executive function challenges during the holidays
All sessions are held virtually for comfort and convenience, and we offer both therapy and coaching options depending on your needs.
You Deserve Support This December
If you are feeling overwhelmed, you do not need to navigate the season alone. With the right tools and support, December can feel calmer, more intentional, and more manageable.
Book a session today at www.palmatlanticbh.com
Our team will walk you through scheduling, insurance, and practical tools that help you feel grounded again.