Parenting During the Holiday Season: 3 Tips from 3 Psychologists for Tackling Holiday Stress

Parenting During the Holiday Season: 3 Tips from 3 Psychologists for Tackling Holiday Stress

Colleen Cummings, PhD

Colleen Cummings, PhD

Dr. Cummings (she/her) is a licensed psychologist, specializing in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and depressive disorders in children, adolescents, and adults. She has extensive experience providing parenting training for parents/caregivers of youth with disruptive behavior and anxiety disorders. She recognizes the importance of implementing evidence-based treatments with cultural humility and acceptance of all client identities. Dr. Cummings is the Director of Research at Alvord, Baker & Associates, a Research Fellow at the nonprofit organization Resilience Across Borders, and a psychiatry resident therapy supervisor at Georgetown University. She has published journal articles and book chapters on topics including CBT for anxiety, mood disorders, and dissemination of effective treatments to the community. Dr. Cummings earned her doctorate in clinical psychology at Ohio State University and her predoctoral internship at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She has specialist training in CBT for youth anxiety disorders, which she pursued during her postdoctoral fellowship at the Child and Adolescent Anxiety Disorders Clinic at Temple University. She is clinician certified in the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in children and adolescents (UP-C/A)—a form of CBT that teaches clients new ways of responding to uncomfortable emotions. She is also certified in Kazdin Parent Management Training (KPMT) and has been trained to administer Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE).

Susan Wilson, PhD

Susan Wilson, PhD

Licensed psychologist, Dr. Susan Wilson earned a double doctoral degree in Clinical and Applied Social Psychology from Vanderbilt University, where she worked with children, teens and adults in outpatient, inpatient and school settings. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Children's National Medical Center. Dr. Wilson pursued post-doctoral training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents and family therapy at the George Mason University Center for Psychological Services. She also received training in neuropsychological assessment and therapy with children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder at the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Children's National Health System. Dr. Wilson utilizes evidence-based therapies in a neurodiversity-affirming, gender affirming approach in her work with children, adolescents, and adults. She uses CBT, including Exposure with Response Prevention (E/RP), Habit Reversal Training (HRT) and CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I) and systems frameworks in treatment of a range of anxiety, depression, mood dysregulation, behavioral problems, and autism spectrum disorders. In addition, she has extensive experience providing parenting strategies including behavioral parent management training, collaborative problem solving, Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), and Integrated Parenting for children with ADHD.

Nina Shiffrin Starin, PhD

Nina Shiffrin Starin, PhD

Licensed psychologist, Dr. Shiffrin has experience treating children, adolescents, and adults with a range of clinical presentations including behavioral difficulties, mood and anxiety disorders, and difficulties regulating emotions.  Dr. Shiffrin earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Yale University. While at Yale she received her certification in Kazdin Parent Management Training (KPMT), an evidence-based treatment for children with behavior problems, under the supervision of Dr. Alan Kazdin. She also received her certification in dialectical-behavior therapy for children (DBT-C) with emotion dysregulation and was trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for adults with anxiety and mood disorders at the Yale Center for Anxiety and Mood Disorders. Dr. Shiffrin completed her predoctoral internship at Temple University under the supervision of Dr. Philip Kendall, where she gained experience providing the Coping Cat treatment, a cognitive-behavioral therapy program for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. She has provided individual, family based, and group therapy in a variety of clinical settings including outpatient, school, and intensive outpatient programs utilizing empirically supported treatments.

Boost Search Results
Off

Parenting During the Holiday Season: 3 Tips from 3 Psychologists for Tackling Holiday Stress

Share
No
Parenting During the Holiday Season: 3 Tips from 3 Psychologists for Tackling Holiday Stress

Parenting is hard enough on a normal day but in most cases, children have the daily structure of school, extracurricular activities, and other scheduled events that help parents get through any given day. But the holidays, as much as we look forward to them, don’t often provide the structured scaffolding that children usually have. And in some ways, that’s the point of the holidays – to provide children (and adults) a break from routine and allow them to enjoy their time off.  

Yet holidays are filled with expectations for what we need to do, where we need to be and with whom we have to be during a specific time, especially as a family. Sometimes children feel overwhelmed during the holidays and for youth with anxiety, OCD, or other mental health disorders, feelings of stress, nervousness, and not having control can be exacerbated at these times. That in turn adds to the stress that parents and caregivers might already be experiencing at this time of year.

3 Psychologists

ADAA recently presented with our partner and institutional member Alvord Baker & Associates on how to alleviate holiday stress. In this brief webinar, three psychologists from Alvord Baker & Associates responded to our audience’s questions about how to make the holidays meaningful and fun while keeping stress and anxiety levels low.  

Colleen Cummings, PhD, Susan Wilson, PhD, and Nina Shiffrin Starin, PhD, say holidays don’t have to be stressful and while children might have to navigage certain expectations and social pressures during the break, there are also ways that parents can ensure the season remains relatively bright and merry.

3 Tips

Our audience posed some good questions during the Holiday Parenting Q&A: Coping with Stress and Anxiety and we compiled three important takeaways from the presenters. We hope these will help parents, and children alike, as we all take some time to close out the year and celebrate the holidays.

1.Be realistic – set reasonable expectations and appropriate boundaries

Nothing is ever perfect so don’t expect the holidays to be so. Things will definitely go pear-shaped at some point so make pear pie. In other words, don’t stress the small stuff and be willing to adapt. Communicate with your kids about what is expected of them and be open to incorporating their thoughts and ideas while still establishing boundaries about what is acceptable and what will not be tolerated. Rewards and/or consequences should be discussed and agreed upon beforehand. Be proactive rather than reactive and model the behavior we want to see in our children. If we are stressed, they are stressed.  

2. Set a schedule but be flexible – allow for downtime, mishaps & even a tantrum or two

The holidays are about togetherness but sometimes we need some time apart. When scheduling family visits, activities, celebrations and other holiday events, remember to give your kids (and yourselves) some breaks in between. Establish a schedule that you can share with not just your children but your family and friends so they know what to expect as well. A visual calendar is a good way to see and map out what you will be doing, when, why, where, for how long, and with whom. How long you will stay at one event or another or how many stops will you make while driving to see the grandparents for example. Be mindful that children need reminding, encouragement, and affirmation. And don’t forget to schedule time for exercise, sleep, meals, devices, and snacks.

3. Be kind to yourself – prioritize your own self-care as a parent or caregiver

They may seem like they last forever but the holidays go by quickly and soon enough you’re all back in your routines. But taking care of yourself during the holidays is important. Make sure you exercise, meditate, practice yoga, soak in a bath or do whatever it is you do for your own self-care, even at this time. Just as you care for your children, make sure you get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, eat well (even though it can be hard with all the holiday treats) and check in with your support network. It’s ok to not be ok and it’s ok to let another adult, caregiver, friend or therapist know how you’re feeling, and ask for help. 

Colleen Cummings, PhD

Colleen Cummings, PhD

Dr. Cummings (she/her) is a licensed psychologist, specializing in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and depressive disorders in children, adolescents, and adults. She has extensive experience providing parenting training for parents/caregivers of youth with disruptive behavior and anxiety disorders. She recognizes the importance of implementing evidence-based treatments with cultural humility and acceptance of all client identities. Dr. Cummings is the Director of Research at Alvord, Baker & Associates, a Research Fellow at the nonprofit organization Resilience Across Borders, and a psychiatry resident therapy supervisor at Georgetown University. She has published journal articles and book chapters on topics including CBT for anxiety, mood disorders, and dissemination of effective treatments to the community. Dr. Cummings earned her doctorate in clinical psychology at Ohio State University and her predoctoral internship at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She has specialist training in CBT for youth anxiety disorders, which she pursued during her postdoctoral fellowship at the Child and Adolescent Anxiety Disorders Clinic at Temple University. She is clinician certified in the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in children and adolescents (UP-C/A)—a form of CBT that teaches clients new ways of responding to uncomfortable emotions. She is also certified in Kazdin Parent Management Training (KPMT) and has been trained to administer Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE).

Susan Wilson, PhD

Susan Wilson, PhD

Licensed psychologist, Dr. Susan Wilson earned a double doctoral degree in Clinical and Applied Social Psychology from Vanderbilt University, where she worked with children, teens and adults in outpatient, inpatient and school settings. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Children's National Medical Center. Dr. Wilson pursued post-doctoral training in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents and family therapy at the George Mason University Center for Psychological Services. She also received training in neuropsychological assessment and therapy with children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder at the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Children's National Health System. Dr. Wilson utilizes evidence-based therapies in a neurodiversity-affirming, gender affirming approach in her work with children, adolescents, and adults. She uses CBT, including Exposure with Response Prevention (E/RP), Habit Reversal Training (HRT) and CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I) and systems frameworks in treatment of a range of anxiety, depression, mood dysregulation, behavioral problems, and autism spectrum disorders. In addition, she has extensive experience providing parenting strategies including behavioral parent management training, collaborative problem solving, Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), and Integrated Parenting for children with ADHD.

Nina Shiffrin Starin, PhD

Nina Shiffrin Starin, PhD

Licensed psychologist, Dr. Shiffrin has experience treating children, adolescents, and adults with a range of clinical presentations including behavioral difficulties, mood and anxiety disorders, and difficulties regulating emotions.  Dr. Shiffrin earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Yale University. While at Yale she received her certification in Kazdin Parent Management Training (KPMT), an evidence-based treatment for children with behavior problems, under the supervision of Dr. Alan Kazdin. She also received her certification in dialectical-behavior therapy for children (DBT-C) with emotion dysregulation and was trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for adults with anxiety and mood disorders at the Yale Center for Anxiety and Mood Disorders. Dr. Shiffrin completed her predoctoral internship at Temple University under the supervision of Dr. Philip Kendall, where she gained experience providing the Coping Cat treatment, a cognitive-behavioral therapy program for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. She has provided individual, family based, and group therapy in a variety of clinical settings including outpatient, school, and intensive outpatient programs utilizing empirically supported treatments.

Use of Website Blog Commenting

ADAA Blog Content and Blog Comments Policy

ADAA provides this Website blogs for the benefit of its members and the public. The content, view and opinions published in Blogs written by our personnel or contributors – or from links or posts on the Website from other sources - belong solely to their respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ADAA, its members, management or employees. Any comments or opinions expressed are those of their respective contributors only. Please remember that the open and real-time nature of the comments posted to these venues makes it is impossible for ADAA to confirm the validity of any content posted, and though we reserve the right to review and edit or delete any such comment, we do not guarantee that we will monitor or review it. As such, we are not responsible for any messages posted or the consequences of following any advice offered within such posts. If you find any posts in these posts/comments to be offensive, inaccurate or objectionable, please contact us via email at [email protected] and reference the relevant content. If we determine that removal of a post or posts is necessary, we will make reasonable efforts to do so in a timely manner.

ADAA expressly disclaims responsibility for and liabilities resulting from, any information or communications from and between users of ADAA’s blog post commenting features. Users acknowledge and agree that they may be individually liable for anything they communicate using ADAA’s blogs, including but not limited to defamatory, discriminatory, false or unauthorized information. Users are cautioned that they are responsible for complying with the requirements of applicable copyright and trademark laws and regulations. By submitting a response, comment or content, you agree that such submission is non-confidential for all purposes. Any submission to this Website will be deemed and remain the property of ADAA.

The ADAA blogs are forums for individuals to share their opinions, experiences and thoughts related to mental illness. ADAA wants to ensure the integrity of this service and therefore, use of this service is limited to participants who agree to adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Refrain from transmitting any message, information, data, or text that is unlawful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, that may be invasive of another 's privacy, hateful, or bashing communications - especially those aimed at gender, race, color, sexual orientation, national origin, religious views or disability.

Please note that there is a review process whereby all comments posted to blog posts and webinars are reviewed by ADAA staff to determine appropriateness before comments are posted. ADAA reserves the right to remove or edit a post containing offensive material as defined by ADAA.

ADAA reserves the right to remove or edit posts that contain explicit, obscene, offensive, or vulgar language. Similarly, posts that contain any graphic files will be removed immediately upon notice.

2. Refrain from posting or transmitting any unsolicited, promotional materials, "junk mail," "spam," "chain mail," "pyramid schemes" or any other form of solicitation. ADAA reserves the right to delete these posts immediately upon notice.

3. ADAA invites and encourages a healthy exchange of opinions. If you disagree with a participant 's post or opinion and wish to challenge it, do so with respect. The real objective of the ADAA blog post commenting function is to promote discussion and understanding, not to convince others that your opinion is "right." Name calling, insults, and personal attacks are not appropriate and will not be tolerated. ADAA will remove these posts immediately upon notice.

4. ADAA promotes privacy and encourages participants to keep personal information such as address and telephone number from being posted. Similarly, do not ask for personal information from other participants. Any comments that ask for telephone, address, e-mail, surveys and research studies will not be approved for posting.

5. Participants should be aware that the opinions, beliefs and statements on blog posts do not necessarily represent the opinions and beliefs of ADAA. Participants also agree that ADAA is not to be held liable for any loss or injury caused, in whole or in part, by sponsorship of blog post commenting. Participants also agree that ADAA reserves the right to report any suspicions of harm to self or others as evidenced by participant posts.

RESOURCES AND NEWS
Evidence-based Tips & Strategies from our Member Experts
RELATED ARTICLES
Block reference