How To Deal With The Winter Blues

What to Do When the Season of Light Brings Dark Emotions

In the months leading up to the holidays, and in the months after, many people struggle with “dark emotions” such as depression, grief, and sadness. There are many reasons for this, including the reality of Seasonal Affective Disorder, changes to many people’s health and nutrition habits in the wintertime, and the fact that, for many people, the holiday season often brings with it unique stressors and emotional triggers. Many people dealing with hard life transitions, like a breakup or divorce, struggle during their first holiday alone. For others, bittersweet memories of years past and lost loved ones infuse the season with feelings of grief and loss.

All these experiences are normal and natural. Many, many people are dealing with these feelings privately as they go through the motions of making merry. However, because these extremely common feelings are not often discussed publicly, many people experiencing them can feel isolated as a result.

On this episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast, we’re breaking the silence and talking openly about this common experience, and how to move past it. 

We’ll be discussing how to deal with dark emotions in a healthy way: when to lean into painful feelings, and how to work through them productively. We’ll talk about the difference between situational depression and the symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder, how to get a handle on seasonal affective disorder, how to work through the stages of grief, and the natural remedies for depression that can help you feel healthier and happier.

Wishing you all the best on your journey of growth and healing,

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

Lisa Marie Bobby, PhD, LMFT, BCC

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby is a licensed psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, board-certified coach, AAMFT clinical supervisor, host of the Love, Happiness, and Success Podcast and founder of Growing Self.