Holiday Stress Tips printed in GAB Magazine Dr Molly Barrow Matchlines Relationship Self Help

A Psychotherapist's Advice For Staying Calm During The Holidays

Tips by Dr Molly Barrow, a psychotherapist, author and relationship expert. She provides ways of reducing conflict during the holiday season and making it less stressful.



Here are her tips on how to cope with the chaos and reduce stress during the
holidays:

- The most important thing to remember is to celebrate the concept of the
holidays. It's not about an individual person; we are coming together with
our families to demonstrate the power of love, awe and something larger than
the everyday problems that we all have.

- Your significant other and extended family have the potential to irritate
you but it's up to you to take the higher road. Do you really want to
remember fighting during the holidays or would you rather dwell on the
positive memories that you could be making?

- Get your kids involved. Planning for the children is essential to make a
holiday pleasant and less stressful. Delegate all duties in advance of the
holiday and discuss the jobs with each member of the family. Have a list of
age-appropriate tasks and allow each person to choose the jobs they want.
Small children eagerly want to help.

- Some jobs must remain adults-only. Letting children know in advance the
jobs they can successfully do eliminates them in a busy kitchen, underfoot
and in danger. Keeping very young children happy and occupied is a full-time
job that responsible older children can share with hour-long shifts for pay
or privileges.

-During the big game or the demanding kitchen preparations, a trip to the
park may save the children from preoccupied parental criticism and reduce
the overall family stress.

- Fairness requires a delegation of duties and equal entertainment and
relaxation periods often helped by placing a television in the kitchen so
the kitchen chef or helper does not miss a play. Gone are the days when
women slaved in the kitchen while the men folk gathered in the den -
hopefully.



Dr. Molly Barrow holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is the author of the new
book, "Matchlines: A Revolutionary New Way of Looking at Relationships and
Making the Right Choices in Love." She is a leading forensic expert and
authority on relationship issues and mental health. A member of the American
Psychological Association, Dr. Molly has appeared on NBC, PBS, KTLA,
WGUF-FM, the feature film "My Suicide," and the documentary "Ready to
Explode."