Unlocking Resilience: 5 Tips for Navigating Difficult Holiday Experiences

Unlocking Resilience: 5 Tips for Navigating Difficult Holiday Experiences

Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP

Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP - ADAA Board Member

Sheila A.M. Rauch, Ph.D., ABPP, led design and now serves as Deputy Director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and Director of Mental Health Research and Program Evaluation at the VA Atlanta Healthcare System. Dr. Rauch has been developing programs, conducting research and providing PTSD and Anxiety Disorders treatment for over 20 years. Her research focuses on examination of mechanisms involved in the development and treatment of PTSD and improving access to effective interventions. She has led several PTSD treatment outcome and mechanisms trials funded through VA/DOD and other sources and has been training providers in PTSD treatment since 2000 including working with a team to establish a PTSD training network in Japan following the triple disaster in 2011. She has published scholarly articles, chapters, and books on anxiety disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) focusing on neurobiology and factors involved in the development, maintenance, and treatment of anxiety disorders, psychosocial factors in medical settings, and the relation between physical health and anxiety. She is an author of the second edition of the Prolonged Exposure manual and patient workbook as well as the PE for Intensive outpatient programs manuals.  Dr. Rauch has been involved in the modification and adaptation of proven psychotherapeutic interventions for anxiety disorders for various populations and settings, including primary care. She is a fellow of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy (ABCT), was granted membership in the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, and served as a member of the ADAA Board of Directors.

Barbara O. Rothbaum, PhD, ABPP

rbara O. Rothbaum, Ph.D., ABPP, is a professor in psychiatry and Associate Vice Chair of Clinical Research at the Emory School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and the Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program at Emory. Rothbaum specializes in research on treating individuals with anxiety disorders, focusing on posttraumatic stress disorder. She has authored over 300 scientific papers and chapters and has published books on

Barbara O. Rothbaum, PhD., ABPP, is a professor in psychiatry and Associate Vice Chair of Clinical Research at the Emory School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and the Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program at Emory. Rothbaum specializes in research on treating individuals with anxiety disorders, focusing on posttraumatic stress disorder. She has authored over 300 scientific papers and chapters and has published books on the treatment of PTSD.

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Unlocking resilience: 5 tips for navigating difficult holiday experiences

As the holiday season approaches, many individuals find themselves grappling with challenging memories or experiences that may evoke intense emotions. Emory Brain Health Center psychologists, Sheila Rauch and Barbara Rothbaum, offer valuable insights to help people navigate difficult experiences during the holidays and beyond.

Grounded in research, these strategies aim to promote emotional processing, resilience and a heightened sense of empowerment. Individuals can equip themselves to face tough situations, elevate emotional well-being and approach the holiday season and upcoming year with renewed resilience.  

  • Feel it, share it, let it go: Difficult experiences demand acknowledgment and processing. Instead of avoiding challenging memories, take the time to feel and share those emotions. Whether through self-reflection, journaling or confiding in a trusted friend, expressing your feelings allows you to take the first step toward letting go of the emotional weight.
  • Revisit and reframe: Repeatedly revisiting a difficult memory can lead to a shift in perspective. Challenge negative thoughts associated with the experience and consider alternative interpretations. Gaining a new perspective can help you view the event in a new light, reducing the emotional intensity and allowing for personal growth. This is not the same as ruminating!
  • Avoidance is not the solution: Avoidance may provide temporary relief, but it often makes things worse in the long-term. Approach the memories, thoughts and situations that trigger discomfort. By actively engaging with these challenges, you create an opportunity for emotional healing, acceptance and resilience.
  • Approach emotion: It is natural to fear that revisiting a traumatic event intensifies the emotional pain. However, allowing yourself to approach these emotions in a safe and controlled manner is crucial for healing. Differentiate between past and present, recognizing that recalling the event is not a recurrence but a step toward understanding and managing your emotions.
  • Create your narrative: Think of your life as a story, with each difficult experience as a chapter. Instead of repeatedly reopening the book only to hastily close it, approach your memories and let yourself feel what comes along with those memories. By reading through the chapters/memories methodically you can come to a new understanding of what makes you who you are today. If needed, seek expert help or resources to guide you through the process of integrating challenging memories into your life story, fostering resilience and moving forward.

Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP

Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP - ADAA Board Member

Sheila A.M. Rauch, Ph.D., ABPP, led design and now serves as Deputy Director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and Director of Mental Health Research and Program Evaluation at the VA Atlanta Healthcare System. Dr. Rauch has been developing programs, conducting research and providing PTSD and Anxiety Disorders treatment for over 20 years. Her research focuses on examination of mechanisms involved in the development and treatment of PTSD and improving access to effective interventions. She has led several PTSD treatment outcome and mechanisms trials funded through VA/DOD and other sources and has been training providers in PTSD treatment since 2000 including working with a team to establish a PTSD training network in Japan following the triple disaster in 2011. She has published scholarly articles, chapters, and books on anxiety disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) focusing on neurobiology and factors involved in the development, maintenance, and treatment of anxiety disorders, psychosocial factors in medical settings, and the relation between physical health and anxiety. She is an author of the second edition of the Prolonged Exposure manual and patient workbook as well as the PE for Intensive outpatient programs manuals.  Dr. Rauch has been involved in the modification and adaptation of proven psychotherapeutic interventions for anxiety disorders for various populations and settings, including primary care. She is a fellow of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy (ABCT), was granted membership in the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, and served as a member of the ADAA Board of Directors.

Barbara O. Rothbaum, PhD, ABPP

rbara O. Rothbaum, Ph.D., ABPP, is a professor in psychiatry and Associate Vice Chair of Clinical Research at the Emory School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and the Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program at Emory. Rothbaum specializes in research on treating individuals with anxiety disorders, focusing on posttraumatic stress disorder. She has authored over 300 scientific papers and chapters and has published books on

Barbara O. Rothbaum, PhD., ABPP, is a professor in psychiatry and Associate Vice Chair of Clinical Research at the Emory School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and the Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program at Emory. Rothbaum specializes in research on treating individuals with anxiety disorders, focusing on posttraumatic stress disorder. She has authored over 300 scientific papers and chapters and has published books on the treatment of PTSD.

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