A Therapist’s Guide on Getting Through a Holiday Breakup
Written by Danielle Moore, LCSW
Going through a break up is challenging at any time, but it can be especially difficult during the holiday season with constant reminders of love, milestones and family gatherings. For some people, the holidays can be triggering and stressful. Going through a break up on top of all of those things can make it difficult to practice self care and healing. Here are five tips to guide you through a painful holiday breakup.
Feel the feelings
After a break up you may feel sad, overwhelmed, angry, confused, etc. Maybe you feel all these feelings throughout the span of a single day. Know that it is okay to have these feelings and that it is best to allow yourself to feel them. Allowing yourself to feel these feelings helps you to process emotions and provides room for growth and moving on.
2. Break up with social media (temporarily)
Getting off social media for a short period of time can be difficult but may result in a positive outcome during a break up. Allow yourself to unplug from your phone to give yourself time to recharge and decrease triggers from your social media timeline. Try it for a week and if you feel that has been a positive experience, extend it to another week and then again. 30 day of no social media can be beneficial. You may notice that you feel better when you don’t spend time scrolling through social media and seeing what others are celebrating.
3. Practice self care
Take care of yourself by doing things that you enjoy. Listen to music, go for walks, light a candle and take a bath. Be creative in doing things that you have time for and enjoy. This will help you to be more connected with yourself.
4. Reflect
Reflect on the break up. Think about where you are now and where you would like to be in the future. What were some of the reasons you and your partner broke up? Are there things you liked about your relationship that you would like to implement in your future? What about things you didn’t like? Reflecting on these parts of a relationship can be helpful in moving forward as you process why it didn’t work out and move on.
5. Seek and receive support
Talk to your friends, family, hair stylist or get a therapist if you are feeling like you need more support during this transition period. It can feel good to receive support from loved ones and feel validation during such a vulnerable time. Connecting with a therapist can also be a positive experience if you are looking for an outside perspective to guide you through heartbreak and help you process your feelings in depth.
If you are struggling with a break up and would like to process your feelings then contact one of our therapists today to guide you through this challenging time.