Heal Before the Holidays: Reset Your Nervous System and Reclaim Your Peace
The holidays are supposed to be about connection, comfort, and joy.
But if we’re honest, they often bring the opposite — stress, triggers, and the emotional heaviness of old patterns resurfacing.
For many people healing from trauma, navigating recovery, or simply carrying too much on their shoulders, this time of year feels more like survival mode with twinkle lights.
🌪️ When “Happy Holidays” Feel Anything But
You might notice it as tension in your chest before family gatherings.
Or the pull toward numbing out — more food, more alcohol, more scrolling, more doing.
Maybe you find yourself snapping at small things, or feeling like you have to hold it all together while quietly unraveling inside.
Even if you’ve made great progress this year, the holidays have a way of stirring things up.
Family roles resurface.
Old grief sneaks back in.
Unspoken expectations weigh heavy.
And suddenly, you’re right back in a version of yourself you thought you’d outgrown.
If you’re in recovery, this season can be especially loaded. The mix of social pressure, emotional intensity, and unprocessed memories can trigger cravings, disconnection, or shame — fast.
And here’s the thing: none of that means you’re weak or broken.
It means your nervous system remembers.
🧠 Why It Happens
Your brain and body are wired to protect you. When they sense familiar stress — the tone of a parent’s voice, the smell of a home, the silence after a comment — they activate old defense patterns that once kept you safe.
That’s why you can feel both love and dread before the holidays.
Your mind knows it’s different now, but your body still reacts as if it’s the past.
🌿 You Don’t Have to Repeat the Pattern
The good news? You can change the way your system responds.
You can walk into the holidays resourced instead of reactive — grounded, clear, and present.
That’s the power of an Integrative Intensive.
In just a few focused days, we clear what’s been building — emotionally, mentally, and physically — using evidence-based tools like:
✨ EMDR to release old trauma and looping stress responses
✨ Yoga therapy and somatic movement to reset the nervous system
✨ Mindfulness and breathwork to restore calm, clarity, and self-connection
This work goes deeper and faster than talk therapy alone.
Instead of unpacking small pieces week after week, we dedicate concentrated time to help your body and brain finally sync up again.
💫 A Few Quick Wins You Can Try Right Now
If you’re already feeling the tension building, here are a few simple ways to ground yourself:
1️⃣ Exhale Longer Than You Inhale – It tells your body you’re safe. Try 4 counts in, 6 counts out.
2️⃣ Bee Breath (Bhramari) – Inhale through your nose, exhale with a soft hum. Feel the vibration calm your chest and jaw.
3️⃣ The 4 Bodies Check-In – Ask yourself:
Physical: What sensations am I feeling?
Emotional: What feelings are here right now?
Mental: What story am I telling myself?
Spiritual: What do I need to feel grounded?
Even a few minutes of awareness helps, but these quick resets are just the beginning.
If you notice that the relief doesn’t last, it’s a sign that something deeper needs your attention — and that’s exactly what an Integrative Intensive can help with.
✨ Your Invitation
If you’ve been thinking, “I’ll deal with this after the holidays,” — this is your sign not to wait.
You deserve to enjoy the season, not just endure it.
I have limited Integrative Intensive openings available before the new year — designed to help you release what’s been weighing you down and walk into the holidays (and 2026) lighter, calmer, and more grounded.
💫 Get in. Do the work. Walk out lighter.
[👉 Schedule Your Pre-Holiday Intensive Now → lorilauridsen.com/integrative-intensives]