As I sit down to write this, December is fast approaching — and I can feel it inside me before the calendar even changes.

My mind is busy.
Too busy.

I’m thinking about work and the responsibility of leading a clinic through one of our most emotionally complex seasons. I’m supporting a family member through physical injuries that have changed what they can contribute — and while I love them deeply and want to help, it has shown me just how narrow my margins are right now.

There’s a quiet fear in me:

What if I can’t get everything done? What if I can’t hold all the roles I’m called to hold?

At the same time, I’m supporting my young adult daughter through the intense pressures of university — final papers, exam prep, deadlines stacking up. I’ve become her editor, her sounding board, her safe place to land when the stress feels too high. My husband and I are trying to reduce her load where we can so she feels less overwhelmed during this academic crunch.

And yet, I’m also craving something gentler for myself:

space to breathe
space to sit with my Advent readings
space to savour the meaning of the season
space to enjoy Christmas traditions

But this year… those moments feel disjointed. Out of sync.

Even decorating the Christmas tree — usually a source of joy — has become a slow, staged process. An ornament here. A string of lights there. It feels unusual, but I am trying to meet this version of myself with compassion instead of criticism.

Naming this season as “harder than usual” softens something inside me.

Even writing these words to you brings a loosening in my chest and a quieter mind.

And maybe that’s the invitation for all of us at the start of December:

When you say your overwhelm out loud — or write it down — your body often releases what your mind has been holding too tightly.

If you’re feeling the weight of December too, I want you to feel permission to exhale.

Why December Feels Emotionally Heavy (For You & Your Kids)

Across Calgary and beyond, our Google search data consistently shows a spike this time of year in searches like:

help for child behaviour
ADHD support
faith-based counselling
depression help for adults

December amplifies everything.

Even in loving families, the holiday season brings:

disrupted routines (especially hard for ADHD & anxious kids)
more noise, stimulation, and social pressure
financial considerations that feel heavier this time of year
increased emotional labour for mothers
grief, memories, or family tension that resurface
academic stress for teens and university students
an internal pressure to “be joyful” even when you’re exhausted

When stress rises, the nervous system enters survival mode — for adults, children, and teens alike.

Holding Space for Mothers in December

For many mothers, December brings a unique emotional weight — not because they do everything, but because they often carry so much internally.

Moms tend to be the meaning-makers, the emotional anchors, the planners, the rememberers of details others don’t even notice.

And even in households where parenting responsibilities are shared generously, many mothers quietly hold:

the mental load
the emotional pulse of the family
the desire to create meaningful experiences
the coordination behind school events, gifts, gatherings, and traditions
the worry about each child’s feelings and memories
the pressure to “make the season special” even when they’re depleted

Your needs matter as much as everyone else’s.
Your desire to savour the season deserves space.
Your exhaustion is not a failure — it’s a signal that you need gentleness, support, and room to breathe.
You do not need to be the emotional engine of December.
You are allowed to rest.
You are allowed to ask for help.
You are allowed to take up space in this season.

Holding Space for Fathers Too

While mothers often carry a significant portion of the emotional labour, dads experience very real pressures too — pressures that are often less spoken about.

Many of the families we serve have two working parents who both contribute deeply, and both feel the strain when the season becomes overwhelming.

Yet dads can face a unique kind of quiet overload. They may not have as many places to talk openly about stress, or they may feel unsure of where it’s safe to say, “This is a lot for me, too.”
Some fathers describe feeling pressure to stay steady for everyone, even when their own nervous system is exhausted.
Their emotional world matters.
Their overwhelm matters.
Their wellbeing matters.
And they deserve the same compassion and gentleness we offer others.

Grounding Practice for Dads (And Any Caregiver Who Tends to “Stay Strong”)

The Two-Minute Reset

A private, accessible, calming practice:
1. Step into a quiet spot — a bedroom, hallway, car, or outside.
2. Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach.
3. Take a slow inhale.
4. As you exhale, name silently what feels heavy:

“This is a lot.”
“I’m doing my best.”
“I can slow down.”

5. Let the exhale be longer than the inhale.

This activates the parasympathetic nervous system — your body’s natural calming response.

What It Really Means to Be “Grounded”

Grounding isn’t about forcing yourself to be positive or grateful.
It’s about reconnecting to:

your breath
your values
your body’s cues
your faith (if that is part of your life)
your limits
your need for compassion

When you’re grounded, you respond instead of react.
You parent more gently.
Your children feel safer.
You feel less alone inside yourself.

Grounding is the antidote to December’s overwhelm.

When Faith Supports Emotional Regulation — And When It Accidentally Creates Pressure

Faith can be a deep source of comfort in December — unless it becomes another expectation you’re supposed to meet.

Supportive faith sounds like:

“God understands my limits.”
“I am allowed to feel tired.”
“This season can be meaningful without being perfect.”
“I don’t have to carry everything alone.”

Faith becomes burdensome when it turns into:

“I shouldn’t feel overwhelmed.”
“If I trusted God more, I wouldn’t be anxious.”
“People like me shouldn’t feel this way.”

This is spiritual bypassing — and it blocks connection to our own humanity.

You are allowed to feel the full range of emotions, even at Christmas.

If Your Child or Teen Is More Dysregulated in December…

Our online search data shows that families are urgently looking for:

child behavioural support
ADHD counselling
child therapist Calgary
parent coaching

Because when predictable structure disappears, dysregulation appears.

Kids and teens don’t need more discipline — they need:

predictable rhythms where possible
downtime between big events
empathy
transition warnings
co-regulation
a grounded adult nervous system

And if you’ve been seeing big emotions or behaviour since September (not just December), counselling or an assessment may help.

When Your Own Overwhelm Doesn’t Lift

If you are experiencing:

constant worry
irritability
sadness
emotional exhaustion
guilt
difficulty resting
feeling stretched beyond your limits

You are not alone, and you are not supposed to grit your way through it.

Counselling can support you in:

regulating emotions
reducing mental load
strengthening your boundaries
integrating faith with mental health
supporting kids, teens or young adults who are overwhelmed
moving through grief or holiday heaviness

You deserve support too.

A Final Word From My Heart to Yours

This year is different for me — heavier, more complex, and requiring more self-compassion than usual.

If your December feels the same, I want you to hear this:

You’re not doing December wrong.
You’re human.
And being human is allowed.

As I write this, I can feel my breath deepen.
My shoulders loosen.
My mind soften.

Writing to you has been a grounding moment for me.

I hope reading this offers the same for you — a little more peace, a little more permission, a little more room to exhale.

A Word for Every Caregiver

Whether you are a mom, dad, step-parent, co-parent, grandparent, guardian, or someone navigating a beautifully complex family — your wellbeing matters. The emotional load of December rests on the whole family system, not just one person.

Whoever you are in that system, you deserve compassion, grounding, and support.

Book a free 15-minute consultation
info@eckert-psychology.com
In-person counselling in North & South Calgary
Online across Alberta

About the Author
Kimberly Eckert is the Founder and Executive Director of Eckert Psychology & Education Centre, a leading family-focused psychology and learning clinic that has been serving Calgary, Airdrie, and Cochrane since 2001. With nearly three decades of experience as a Registered Psychologist, Kimberly is known for her compassionate leadership, clinical expertise, and her commitment to building a highly skilled team that embodies the clinic’s vision of Caring for Families.
Although she no longer sees clients directly, Kimberly is deeply involved in clinical leadership, program development, and quality assurance across all service pillars. She also oversees Eckert Centre’s faith-based counselling services, ensuring that clients seeking Christian counselling in Calgary receive care that honours their spiritual beliefs and integrates them with evidence-based psychological support.
Kimberly’s writing reflects the core values that guide the clinic: emotional safety, research-informed practice, and the belief that every family deserves clarity, hope, and compassionate care.