Blog Post by Caitlin Kelly - MA, LPC, CEDS, ATR-BC, Lead Therapist at Rock Recovery
As the life-sized skeletons and Jack-O-Lanterns come down, it’s time to prepare for other skeletons that might be hiding in the closet. The 2026 holiday season is here!
Every year, late fall/winter holidays offer the opportunity for high highs and low lows in recovery. Russ Harris mentions in The Happiness Trap that the metaphor of “monsters on a boat” can be a helpful one to get through stressors. What does this mean? Imagine you are going on a voyage to your own recovery island and there are monsters in the sea. Do you close your eyes, start drifting and hope the ship lands peacefully? No! You would get out a map, put your hands on the tiller, and make a plan for how to get there safely. Using this metaphor, we can use ACT and other clinical approaches to plan ahead and set yourself up for a supportive and accessible holiday season.
Here is my list of recovery tips for thriving through the next few months:
Come up with a plan for food (think DBT Cope Ahead)
Whether you are intuitively eating or following a meal plan, let yourself build structure around where, when, and if you will be eating at holiday events. If you expect fear foods to be part of your holiday meals, plan ahead for it with your dietician or therapist. Bring snacks for mechanical eating if you will be traveling so there is no chance that you will start the restriction cycle. If you fear bingeing, prepare ahead with mindfulness skills and permission to eat.
Consider getting extra eating disorder support
Let your treatment team and loved ones be there for you! Schedule extra sessions, attend a support group, or text/call a recovery buddy. Allow yourself breaks. In the midst of holiday hub-bub, it’s okay to go for a walk, call a friend, take some deep breaths, or step out of the room. If you are overstimulated, it’s okay to calm down.
Plan to use your coping skills
Start practicing now! You don’t show up to the recital with a new piano song to learn. Work with your therapist to find supportive and grounding skills that will help you move through distress. Examples include deep breathing, somatic movements, art making, listening to music, journaling, reading, puzzles, watching a good show, sipping tea, painting your nails, gentle stretching or movement, cognitive defusion and cognitive challenging.
Let yourself create new traditions
Sometimes, we do the same thing over and over not because we WANT to, but because it’s habit. If a holiday tradition no longer serves you in recovery, consider creating a new way to honor its spirit. Let yourself use mindfulness and beginner’s mind to try something new.
Dress comfortably
By wearing clothes that feel comfortable, it can alleviate body image discomfort. Let yourself use emotional reasoning for your recovery. Instead of, “I feel bad therefore I am bad;” try to embody the idea that, “I feel good therefore I am good.”
Give yourself permission to leave early
You do not need to close the party down. Drive separately or take a rideshare if you need to leave a holiday event early if it is dysregulating or negatively impacting your recovery process.
Practice scripts for setting healthy boundaries
“I’m trying this new thing where I don’t talk about other peoples’ bodies/dieting/etc. Thanks for supporting me in this!”
“Please don’t talk about my body/my plate/etc.”
“Thanks for checking in with me about this. I am working with a team of professionals and I’m going to take their clinical advice on what needs to be on my plate right now.”
“Have you heard about…” (and change the subject).
Expect your loved ones to be unapologetically themselves
Plan for it! If Aunt Karen typically makes inappropriate comments about others’ bodies, a large family event is most likely not the place where she will start challenging diet culture. Set your own emotional, physical and energetic boundaries. Use your script, ask a family member or friend to have your back, or separate yourself physically or with breathwork.
Connect to something bigger than yourself and remember your value system
Remind yourself why you are in recovery. What is bigger than this feeling of discomfort, and how can you use that to make the next small recovery choice? It can also be helpful to remember why you are partaking in a holiday activity. If it’s part of your belief system, remember that. If it’s not aligning with your current belief system, don’t be afraid to make changes!
Remember, recovery isn’t about navigating the holidays perfectly; it’s about making intentional choices that honor your needs, values, and well-being. There may be some rough waters along the way, but with preparation, self-compassion, and support, you can keep steering your boat toward recovery, one choice at a time.
Caitlin Kelly, MA, LPC, CEDS, ATR-BC
Lead Therapist, Rock Recovery
About the Author: Caitlin Kelly is a licensed counselor in Virginia, Washington, DC, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. She is also a licensed credentialed art therapist in Maryland, a yoga teacher, and Board Approved Supervisor in Virginia. Caitlin completed her MA in Art Therapy from George Washington University. With over 15 years of clinical experience providing trauma-informed and integrative approaches to eating disorder recovery, Caitlin provides a loving and comprehensive therapeutic approach. While she has worked in all levels of care, she loves working at the outpatient level the most. She integrates HAES-informed principles and works to be a neuro-affirming therapist. Caitlin provides virtual individual therapy to residents of DC, Maryland, and Virginia and in-person individual therapy at our Norfolk, VA location. She also leads our Young Adult Bridge to Life group.