The holidays open us up to all kinds of stress and depression. Further, some of us will be on our own this Christmas season.

Others of us will be seeing family and relatives, some of whom maybe we'd rather avoid.

And then there is the stress of shopping, spending, finances, and taxes in the new year.

The Mayo Clinic provides us with some timely ideas on how to manage:

1.  Acknowledge your feelings.  The holidays can make sadness and pain more acute.  Realize that this is normal.

2.  If you're feeling lonely, reach out to others.  This might be a community of believers or a social group.  Giving of yourself and your time not only helps others but helps your own sense of loneliness.

3.  Be realistic and willing to change.  Holiday traditions will change as families change.  Be open to creating new traditions and finding new ways to celebrate.

4.  Don't use the holidays to bring up your differences with family, friends' and guests.  Find more appropriate times to discuss them.

5.  Plan how much you will spend this holiday and then stick to it.

6.  Use your time now to plan ahead.  Whether that be buying ingredients, gifts, or party preparations.

7.  Put limits on your time and commitments.  Learn to say no.  You can't be everything to everybody.

8.  Remind yourself to keep your healthful habit.  The holidays are an easy time to overindulge and then give into guilt.  But you can plan ahead.  Get sufficient rest.  Stay physically active.  Before going to a party, enjoy your favorite healthful foods so that you won't binge on the foods you're trying to avoid.

9.  Plan time for yourself.  That can be a walk, finding a good book to read, listening to your favorite music, or doing something else for yourself.

10.  Be open to seeking out professional help.  You're not called to do it all alone.

Source:  Stress, depression and the holidays: Tips for coping, Mayo Clinic

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   Diane Davidson 
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments

615-556-8406

Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

The onset of the holiday season is a trigger for me personally to emotional pain. It is when I think of and miss my mother the most. 

My mother passed away 23 years ago. I miss her the most between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Even though I have other loved ones in my life, I still miss her and I grieve for her each year and especially at Christmas.

I just want to share that it is okay to grieve for someone or something and still be very thankful for your present circumstances in your life! It does not mean that you are not thankful for your blessings.

It is helpful to be aware of which circumstances may be an emotional trigger for you that connects to a difficult feeling for you. 

It is also helpful to allow yourself to feel what you are feeling and to not suppress the feelings.

It will not make you feel worse by letting the feelings surface and to acknowledge them........... as long as you then - choose to not focus on them and/ or let them bring you down. 

Let them surface- then tell yourself that you are okay and utilize positive coping skills such as drawing, writing, walking, slow deep breaths, reach out to friends, etc.

It is also helpful to do something special and meaningful in correlation to your loss and / or emotional pain. Some ideas are: Donate a book to your local library in someone's name, make an ornament in memory of someone or something, volunteer, pay acts of kindness forward in creative ways. 

In memory of Darlene Davidson 

 CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!

 


   Diane Davidson 
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments

615-556-8406

Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

The brokenness of our world spills out all over the television, social media, and newspapers everyday.

Even worse, the brokenness affects our relationships with each other and with God.

Many of us live lives of deep discouragement, and we hide our struggles and failures from each other.

Yet in the midst of this shame and seeming defeat, God is working redemption.

The apostle Paul wrote, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

God is not surprised in the least by our sins and failures.  He uses them to point us to Christ and to show us of our desperate need for a redeemer.

Ironically, it is at the foot of the cross, broken and needy, that outrageous joy and celebration begin.

It's where the party really gets started.
  By a contributing blogger, David Mueller 

 CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!

 


   Diane Davidson 
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments

615-556-8406

Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

Free Depression, Anxiety,  Trauma, Grief Support Group tonight for adults of all ages.

The next support group is Dec. 12th.

Pre-screening and pre-registration is required for each meeting.

 Email Diane:
Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com or call or text 615-556-8406 to register or for more information 
   Diane Davidson Gammon MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure.

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 


 By Diane Davidson 
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........

It is difficult to forgive others. It can be even more difficult to forgive yourself for something. 

It is necessary however to be able to free yourself from any guilt and shame that you are experiencing. 

Guilt and shame will just keep eating at you and continue to feed negativity into your mind and spirit. This will affect your mental and physical health. If you feel bad about something that you did – or didn’t do and it is bothering you, it may be time to forgive yourself. 

Past failures and poor decisions are just that….. they are in the past. 

The way that you see yourself is not an accurate picture of what God has done for you and how He sees you. God loves you deeply and completely. When you don’t forgive yourself and let go and take the gift of God’s redemption, you are denying yourself of the gift God gave you. 

You are worthy!!    You are worthy!! 

God has already forgiven you and so he doesn’t want you to feel bad. God wants you to live and peace and to feel his everlasting Love. 

Set yourself free. Don’t choose to focus on feeling bad to try and punish yourself. That is not productive. Make the decision to forgive yourself for anything that you need to forgive yourself for. 

The best thing that you can do is let it go and move forward with what you have learned from the situation.  
  

Fill in the blank……. Today, I forgive myself for………………………………………………………………

Then, let it go. Fill your spirit with positive thoughts of how you are going to move forward with what you have learned and in loving with perfect peace, the peace that God has placed for you when he died on the cross.

it is a blessing to give and to receive a gift. 

You can honor God by accepting His gift with great joy and begin to see yourself as a new creation in Christ.

Your past failures are forgiven. Forgive yourself. You did the best that you could with where you were, with what you had, and with what you knew- or were capable of----------- let it go. 

Demonstrate self-care and self-love and learn from your past and apply what you learned for a brighter tomorrow!

Isaiah 43:25, "I, even I, am he that blotteth 

out thy transgressions for mine own sake, 

and will not remember thy sins."

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!

 


 By Diane Davidson 
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

During this season where it can be very difficult emotionally for many people, it is important to take notice on what you are focusing on.

While it is good to allow your true feelings and emotions to come out, it is then important to focus on the positive blessings in your life.

What you focus on, grows!

Speak and focus on hope into your thought process today! 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!

 


 By Diane Davidson 
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

Happy December! 

I am sorry for my absence. I hope that December finds you with good spirits and holding on to hope!

It is a very sad and lonely time for many people. It is a season to think of and miss loved ones that are no longer with us for different reasons. 

It is helpful to increase self-love and self-care at this time! The weather is beautiful here in TN and is a good time to brisk walk and get some sunshine!

I walked yesterday at the Greenway Park for self-care myself!

I want to encourage you to write down a list of self-care ideas that you can work on demonstrating more often! It can help you with the winter and holiday blues.

My favorite go-tos for self-care are: 

.......walking outside to get exercise, fresh air and sunshine, eating fresh fruits and veggies, drinking water, positive self-talk, prayer, and being social with uplifting and supportive people!  

 CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!

 


 By Diane Davidson 
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

Free Depression, Anxiety,  Trauma, Grief Support Group tonight for adults of all ages.

The next support group is Dec. 12th.

Pre-screening and pre-registration is required for each meeting.

 Email Diane:
Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com or call or text 615-556-8406 to register or for more information 
   Diane Davidson Gammon MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure.

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 


 By Diane Davidson 
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........

What an honor! I was awarded an award as a top blogger in counseling! 

I am back from a short break. I hope that everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. 

I know that it can be a difficult time for many people. I want to encourage you to increase your self-care and coping skills. 

Take a walk outside! Take slow deep breaths and eat healthy! 

 CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 


 By Diane Davidson 
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

Lunch! Self-Care! 

Quinoa, almonds, strawberries, and kale.

# I am worth it!
# Food is medicine!
# Health Choices!

 

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV

 

 CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!

 


 By Diane Davidson 
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure