1. Destressing the Holidays
December 13, 2016
Dan Thorne, LMFT
Founder and Developer, PRAXES

2. Goals Today Define stress
Understanding its effects during the holidays
Solutions to control stress and breathe easier
Help your child(ren) manage the stress, too!

3. Background of presenter
Developer of PRAXES, parenting program for reducing parenting stress
40 years in behavioral health, including over 30 years as Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
27 years as director of outpatient and inpatient mental health and substance abuse programs
Parent of three adoptive children with mental health problems
Challenged dog owner
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4. What is Stress? Change from our normal (positive or negative)
The brain’s response to demands
Stress is in the eyes of the beholder

5. How does stress affect your body?
Fight, flight, or freeze
Changes
Pulse faster
Breathe faster
Muscles constrict
Eyes dilate
Cortisol excreted to
reduce inflammation
You survive!

6. What about chronic stress?
Mind thinks everything is urgent
Lower body immunity
Trouble sleeping
Somatic problems
Body wears down
Emotional disorders

7. During the holidays, What else could go wrong?
Increases in:
Domestic violence
Alcohol consumption
Food consumption
Drug consumption

8. Shopping stress

10. Cooking stress More dishes More costs Got to make those _____________
(cookies, cakes, pies, etc.)

11. The holidays and the special needs child (SNC)
Increase in activity at home and school
More demands in school
for songs, projects, etc.
Expectations of presents at home
Child as the sponge
More interactions with family/others

12. SNC holiday behaviors Emotional outbursts Verbal aggression
Physical aggression
Withdrawal
Increase in symptoms and behaviors

13. Destressing time Organize your time Set your goals for the holiday
What needs to be done?
Can you remove tasks to reduce demands?

14. Do something good for yourself
Take time for your hobbies
Music
Exercise
Gardening
What you like to do

15. Take time to relax Sit in comfortable chair Close eyes
Take deep breath hold for five seconds, let out
Tense and relax muscles
Two more deep breaths
Picture relaxing image, or continue tense and relax
Open eyes when ready

16. Destressing the SNC Time out options? Self-soothing skills?
Have a buddy
Code word
Lots of praise

17. Destressing the family
What do you tell other family members?
Child’s strengths and how to handle challenges
Know the buddy
Know the code word
Know what to say

18. What are holidays supposed to be?
Time for family and friends
Celebrate your special holiday
(Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa,
Posada, etc.)
Make is an enjoyable time!

19. Questions? Thank you Dan Thorne, LMFT Dan.Thorne@praxesmodel.com