A Therapist’s Guide to Navigating the Colder Months With Nervous System Awareness (Michigan Edition)

If you’ve ever wondered why this season feels “loud” in your body, you’re not imagining it. Your nervous system has a lot to manage in December — and for those of us in Michigan and the Midwest, winter adds an extra layer of intensity.

This guide and the therapy team at Inspired Healing Therapy can help you understand what’s happening physiologically, why your body reacts the way it does, and how to support yourself through the season using therapist-backed, accessible tools.

Why This Season and Midwestern Winters May Feel Like Overwhelm To Your Nervous System

Many people assume holiday stress is a mindset or a personality flaw. But the truth is much more compassionate: holiday overwhelm is a physiological response. And that response gets amplified by Midwest winter conditions.

Here’s what your nervous system is actually dealing with:

1. Sensory Overload From Events, Expectations, and Emotion

The holidays pack a high concentration of stimuli:

• Loud gatherings

• Family dynamics

• Travel

• Shifts in routine

• Pressure to be “on,” grateful, cheerful, or available

Your brain is constantly scanning this sensory environment. Even positive events can activate your sympathetic nervous system — the energy that mobilizes you for “doing,” problem-solving, and surviving the moment.

No wonder you feel overstimulated.

2. Long, Dark Evenings Impact Mood and Energy

In Michigan, sundown around 4:45pm can drastically change the way your body functions. Low light can:

• decrease serotonin (impacting mood)

• disrupt circadian rhythm

• reduce natural energy cycles

• increase fatigue and irritability

Cold temperatures also cue the body to brace. Shoulders lift. Muscles tighten. We hunch, shiver, and brace ourselves without noticing — increasing the “fight or flight” signal.

Your nervous system is working harder all season long.

3. The Window of Tolerance Gets Smaller

Think of the window of tolerance as the emotional bandwidth where you feel grounded, present, and able to respond intentionally.

During December, it’s common for your window to shrink.

Signs you’re slipping out of it:

• Snapping at family members

• Feeling numb or disconnected

• Trouble sleeping or oversleeping

• Overthinking or catastrophizing

• Feeling tense or wired

• Difficulty being present

Again — this isn’t personal. It’s your body trying to manage too much input with too few resources.

Common Holiday Triggers and Why Your Body Reacts

So much of holiday stress gets blamed on mindset. But most triggers are embodied experiences. Here’s what may be activating you this month:

1. Returning to Old Family Roles

Many adults report feeling 15 again the moment they walk into their childhood home.

Your nervous system recognizes old environments and unconsciously shifts into remembered relational patterns:

• Being the helper

• Mediating conflict

• Keeping the peace

• Becoming the “responsible” one

• Feeling unheard or unseen

This is not immaturity. It’s neurobiology.

2. Grief and Emotional Dissonance

For many people:

• someone is missing

• traditions don’t look the same

• family dynamics have shifted

• the season feels heavier than it used to

Your nervous system carries the emotional imprint of past holidays. Nostalgia and grief can activate the same stress pathways as conflict.

3. Overcommitment + Social Fatigue

Even if you enjoy holiday gatherings, every event requires emotional labor: small talk, being attentive, managing interactions, participating socially.

Combine that with cold-weather isolation, disrupted routines, and early darkness?

The emotional cost adds up quickly.

Therapist-Backed Tools to Support Your Nervous System This December

As a licensed professional counselor, I would like to share these simple, accessible, yet effective practices, especially curated for Michigan winters.

1. Micro-Regulation for When You’re Overwhelmed

These take 30 seconds or less:

• Extended Exhale

Inhale for 4, exhale for 6.
This signals the parasympathetic nervous system to slow the body down.

• Hand-Warming

Wrap both hands around a mug, hot pack, or pocket warmers.
Warmth decreases sympathetic activation and helps your body feel safer.

• Orienting

Look around the room and name:
1 thing you see
1 thing you hear
1 thing you feel
This grounds your brain in the present instead of old emotional patterns.

2. Winter-Specific Regulation Tools (Michigan Edition)

• Light Exposure as Medicine

Spend 10 minutes near a window in the morning or use a therapy light.
This boosts serotonin and stabilizes energy.

• Warmth Rituals

Tiny moments like heating a blanket, taking a hot shower, or using a heated seat in the car can help relax chronic physiological bracing.

• Gentle Indoor Movement

You don’t need a full workout.
Try:

• 5-minute stretching

• a short hallway walk

• mall walking

• at-home mobility

Movement helps discharge built-up stress hormones.

3. Social Boundaries That Protect Your Window of Tolerance

These scripts help without creating conflict:

• “I’m going to take a quick breather — I’ll be back in 10 minutes.”

• “I love seeing everyone, but I’m at capacity. I’m heading home a little early.”

• “Can we pause this conversation? I want to talk when I can be more grounded.”

These are regulation tools — not rudeness.

4. Co-Regulation: Let People Help Your Nervous System

Healthy connection can soothe overwhelm.

You can ask for:

• someone sitting close

• a slower-paced conversation

• a walk together

• shared silence

• a hand squeeze or hug

Your nervous system is wired for connection, not independence.

How to Tell When You Might Need More Support This Season

Consider reaching out for additional support if you notice:

• persistent irritability

• isolation from loved ones

• trouble sleeping

• loss of interest in things you usually enjoy

• overwhelming dread

• intense family triggers

• symptoms of seasonal depression

You don’t have to navigate December — or the darker months — alone.

A Gentle December Reminder

You don’t need to be festive, social, energized, or emotionally available just because the calendar says it’s December. Your body is allowed to have limits.

This season becomes far easier when you treat your nervous system with kindness and awareness — and when you let yourself belong to the present moment, not old stories or pressures.

You’re doing the best you can, and that’s enough.

Inspired Healing Therapy offers a trauma-informed, gentle space to explore what your nervous system needs. Whether you are looking for talk therapy or another method of healing, like art therapy, dance/movement therapy, or music therapy, the clinical team is here to meet you where you are at this month.

-> Click on our Lets Get Started page to make the next step on your healing journey today.

Finding Gratitude in the Midst of Chaos: A Therapist’s Guide to Mindful Thankfulness

When Gratitude Feels Like a Stretch

Let’s be honest — gratitude is easy when life feels spacious and calm. But when responsibilities pile up, emotions run high, or the holiday season stirs up memories and expectations… gratitude can feel like one more thing on your to-do list.

At Inspired Healing Therapy, we often tell clients:
“Gratitude isn’t about ignoring your struggles. It’s about making room for life’s small glimmers, even when things feel heavy.”

In fact, gratitude therapy is most powerful when your world feels chaotic. It doesn’t erase stress, grief, or uncertainty, but it softens the edges. It reminds your nervous system that safety and goodness still exist, even if they’re hiding in tiny pockets.

This November, let’s explore how to cultivate mindful thankfulness in a way that feels grounding, accessible, and deeply human.

The Science of Gratitude During Stressful Times

Gratitude is more than a feeling — it’s a practice with measurable effects on the brain and body.

Research shows that consistent gratitude practice can:Boost serotonin and dopamine

• Lower cortisol (the stress hormone)

• Improve sleep and emotional regulation

• Strengthen your capacity for joy and connection

• Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression

When chaos hits, your nervous system often shifts into fight-or-flight mode. Gratitude invites a small pause, signaling to your brain:
“Here is something steady. Here is something safe.”

Mindfulness in November becomes a way of gently steering your attention back to what grounds you, even if it’s fleeting or imperfect.

Mindfulness and Gratitude: The Perfect Pair

Gratitude therapy works best when paired with mindfulness — the practice of staying present without judgment.

When we slow down enough to notice what’s here, gratitude emerges naturally.

Mindfulness might look like:

• Feeling warmth from your mug before your first sip

• Noticing a moment of quiet before your day begins

• Breathing intentionally when holiday traffic spikes your nervous system

• Acknowledging a kind text or smile from someone you love

Gratitude practice isn’t about “thinking positive.” It’s about being aware of what nourishes you, moment by moment.

Therapist Spotlight: Maggie — Finding Meaning in Small Moments

This week, we’re highlighting Maggie, one of our compassionate clinicians who incorporates mindfulness, grounding work, and gratitude-based tools into her therapeutic approach.

Maggie often reminds clients that gratitude doesn’t need to be profound or poetic. Sometimes, the most healing gratitude is quiet and ordinary.

Maggie’s approach validates the emotional complexity of the season while offering simple, accessible practices that help clients reconnect with themselves.

If you're drawn to her style, you can learn more about her here:
👉 https://www.inspiredhealingtherapy.com/maggie

A Therapist’s Guide to Practicing Gratitude in Chaos

Here are a few grounded, healing practices that can help you cultivate a meaningful gratitude practice — even during stressful seasons.

1. Try the “One Good Thing” Technique

Instead of forcing yourself to list three or five things, try focusing on just one each day.

Ask yourself:
“What is one thing that brought me comfort or relief today?”

This keeps gratitude gentle and realistic.

2. Practice a 30-Second Mindful Pause

You don’t need a meditation cushion or 20-minute window.

Try this simple practice:

• Pause.

• Inhale slowly for 4 seconds.

• Exhale for 6 seconds.

• Notice one thing supporting you — a warm blanket, a ray of sun, a deep breath.

This is mindfulness at its simplest.

3. Reframe, Don’t Replace

Instead of telling yourself:

• “I should be more grateful,”
  try:

• “I can hold gratitude and frustration at the same time.”

This CBT-informed approach invites compassion, not pressure.

4. Write Messy Gratitude

Gratitude journals don’t need to be pretty.

You can write things like:

• “I’m grateful I made it through today.”

• “I’m grateful for the 10 quiet minutes I had.”

• “I’m grateful the day is over.”

It all counts.

5. Anchor Gratitude to Daily Habits

Pair gratitude with:

• brushing your teeth

• drinking water

• eating meals

• waiting at a red light

This helps gratitude feel like a grounding tool, not homework.

6. Embrace “Micro-Thankfulness”

Look for tiny moments:

• the smell of coffee

• a soft sweater

• your pet curling up beside you

• a song that lifts your mood

Small gratitude is real gratitude.

What to Do When Gratitude Feels Impossible

Some days are too heavy to feel thankful — holidays included.

On hard days, try these alternatives:

• Accept what you’re feeling without judgment.

• Notice one thing that feels neutral rather than positive.

• Name something that feels steady or familiar.

• Focus on comfort instead of gratitude.

Remember: gratitude is not a requirement. It is an invitation.

And if chaos makes gratitude feel out of reach, that is a sign of your humanity — not a failure.

Reflective Gratitude Prompts for November

Here are a few therapist-crafted prompts for cultivating mindful thankfulness:

• What small moment today softened my stress?

• What is something I appreciated this week that I would normally overlook?

• Who made me feel seen, even briefly?

• What is one thing my body allowed me to do today?

• Where did I find a moment of quiet or relief?

Use these gently — no pressure to write a full essay. Need a place to put these? Our Take a Moment Printable Guided Journal for Mindfulness, Reflection & Gratitude is here for you! The digital version is on sale this month. Head on over to our Therapy Shop to check it out.

A Gentle Ending Ritual

Before bed:

• Place your hand on your heart.

• Take a slow breath.

• Whisper in your mind or aloud: “I did enough today.”

If you can add, “And I’m grateful for…” — beautiful.
If not — the self-compassion is enough.

If Gratitude Feels Like Too Much Right Now, You Don’t Have to Navigate It Alone

The holiday season can be emotionally overwhelming — especially when life already feels chaotic. If you’re feeling disconnected, stressed, or unsure where to begin with mindfulness or gratitude therapy, we’re here to support you.

At Inspired Healing Therapy, our clinicians offer grounded, compassionate, personalized care to help you reconnect with yourself — at your own pace.

If you’re ready to explore gratitude practice, emotional regulation, or simply want a safe place to breathe and unpack, we’re here.

🌿 Reach out to schedule a session:
👉 https://www.inspiredhealingtherapy.com/contact

You deserve steadiness.
You deserve support.
You deserve moments of peace — even in chaos.

FAQs

Q: What if gratitude feels forced for me?
That’s completely normal. Try focusing on moments of neutrality or relief instead. Gratitude grows naturally with gentleness, not pressure.

Q: How does mindfulness help with gratitude?
Mindfulness helps quiet the noise long enough to notice what’s nourishing — even small things. The more present you are, the more gratitude becomes accessible.

Q: Can therapy help me build a gratitude practice?
Absolutely. Therapists can help you create personalized strategies, reframe unhelpful thoughts, and integrate mindfulness into daily life.

Q: What if I feel more stressed during the holidays?
Holiday overwhelm is incredibly common. Therapy can help you set boundaries, regulate emotions, and feel more grounded in your body and relationships.