Somatic Therapy in Phoenix, AZ: Preparing Your Nervous System for the Holidays
The holidays are almost here, and with them comes a whirlwind of emotions. There’s the joy and the bright lights, but there can also be a deep, quiet stress that follows you through the season. It’s a time that can bring up old wounds and ask so much of you, both emotionally and physically. What if this year could be different? Imagine entering the holiday season feeling grounded, present, and at peace. Somatic therapy in Phoenix can offer you gentle, proactive tools to help prepare your nervous system for everything the season holds. These tools can help you find a sense of ease, even amidst the holiday chaos.
Why the Holidays Can Overwhelm Your Nervous System
Do you ever feel like you're holding your breath from Thanksgiving through the New Year? If so, you're not alone. The holiday season, with its unique blend of joy and stress, can be incredibly taxing on our nervous systems, and it often goes much deeper than just a busy schedule. Family dynamics, for one, tend to take center stage. Holiday gatherings can stir up unresolved emotional wounds, and being around certain relatives might reactivate old, familiar patterns of relating that leave you feeling small, unseen, or utterly exhausted. Your body holds the memory of these past encounters, and it may begin to brace for impact long before you even arrive.
Sensory Overload and Somatic Therapy
Then, there's the sensory overload. The constant hum of holiday activity, from bustling shopping centers to loud family parties, can feel overwhelming to your senses. This isn't just a mental drain; it's a physiological one. When your nervous system is bombarded with too much input, it can shift into a state of high alert, leaving you feeling irritable, anxious, or completely shut down. Have you ever felt that way?
Add to that the pressure to meet expectations, both your own and those of others, and you have a perfect recipe for dysregulation. These stressors can push your nervous system into a state of fight, flight, or freeze. You might find yourself snapping at a loved one (fight), feeling a desperate need to be alone (flight), or feeling numb and disconnected from the festivities (freeze). Recognizing how your body is trying to protect itself is the first gentle step toward caring for it.
Preparing Your Nervous System with Somatic Therapy
Many of us think of therapy as a lifeline, something we reach for only when we're in the middle of a crisis. But what if therapy could also be a way to prepare, like gently stretching your muscles before a long run? This is where the quiet power of somatic therapy can make a difference. Instead of just talking about the stress you feel, we work with how that stress lives and breathes inside your body. By engaging with somatic therapy here in Phoenix before the holiday season begins, you can build a deeper connection to your body's unique language of stress.
The Practical Application of Somatic Therapy
You can start to notice the subtle tightening in your shoulders when a difficult topic arises or the way your breath becomes shallow when you feel overwhelmed. Recognizing these quiet signals early is an act of self-kindness, allowing you to respond with gentle care before they build into a full-blown stress response. This work is incredibly practical. We can explore tools to help you self-regulate in the moment. Imagine being at a tense family dinner and, instead of getting pulled into the drama, you can feel your feet on the floor, subtly deepening your breath, and anchoring yourself in the present.
This is the Resilience Somatic Therapy Helps Build.
It’s not about avoiding stress; it’s about moving through it with a regulated nervous system. Somatic work also offers a path to release stored tension from past holiday experiences that may still linger in your body. That knot in your stomach you get every December might be more than just nerves; it could be your body holding onto the memory of past pain. A somatic therapist can help you gently and safely process and release that stored energy, freeing you up to create new, more positive holiday memories.
Brainspotting Therapy as a Holiday Stress Reset
When holiday triggers run deeper, perhaps lingering from past experiences, Brainspotting therapy in Phoenix offers a truly powerful pathway to gently reset those emotional responses. You see, Brainspotting operates on a remarkable principle: "where you look affects how you feel." It skillfully uses your field of vision to access and process unresolved trauma and stress, those deeply held echoes within your subconscious brain. Instead of repeatedly revisiting painful memories, Brainspotting empowers your brain to process them from the inside out, fostering healing without dwelling on the hurt.
Have you ever noticed how the scent of a particular holiday dish can unexpectedly bring a wave of sadness, or a certain carol suddenly stirs a sense of dread? These feelings aren't random; they are often subconscious triggers, tiny threads connecting to past experiences that your body remembers. Brainspotting can help you gently uncover the source of that emotional static and work through it. Imagine trying to listen to your favorite song, but the radio is full of static; it’s hard to hear the melody clearly, isn't it? Brainspotting acts like a skilled hand tuning that dial, helping you find the right frequency, clearing the static so you can reconnect with your calm, centered self. This work can be profoundly transformative as you prepare for the holidays.
Somatic Therapy Can Help You:
Process unresolved emotions tied to specific family members or past events.
Address subconscious triggers that make the holidays feel overwhelming without you even knowing why.
Create emotional clarity and resilience, making you less reactive and more present for the moments you want to cherish.
Working with a trained somatic therapist offers a gentle path forward. Together, you can carefully locate, process, and release those deep-seated triggers that often surface during this time. Imagine feeling truly present and at peace, instead of battling the familiar chaos. This dedicated support allows you to reclaim your emotional landscape, transforming what once felt overwhelming into a season of genuine connection and calm.
Practical Tips for a Resilient Holiday Season
Integrating somatic and brainspotting work into your holiday preparation can be a gift you give yourself. Here are a few practical ways to begin building a more resilient nervous system for the season ahead:
Schedule Proactive Support:
Don't wait until you're already overwhelmed. Schedule a session with a somatic or brainspotting therapist in Phoenix before the holiday rush begins. A few sessions in October or November can equip you with the tools and regulations you need to navigate December with greater ease.
Practice Somatic Check-ins:
Throughout your day, take 30 seconds to pause and notice what’s happening in your body. Are your shoulders tense? Is your jaw clenched? Are you holding your breath? Simply noticing without judgment is the first step. Follow this with a few slow, deep breaths, imagining the tension softening with each exhale.
Create a "Nervous System Toolkit":
Work with your therapist to create a personalized toolkit of strategies. This might include a grounding exercise you can do in a crowded room, a short breathing technique to use before a family gathering, or a mantra that helps you feel centered. Having these tools ready makes them easier to use when you need them most.
Mentally Rehearse with Support:
In a therapy session, you can use visualization or brainspotting techniques to mentally walk through a challenging situation, like a difficult conversation with a family member. This allows your nervous system to process the event in a safe, controlled environment, making the real-life experience feel less threatening.
Enter the Holidays with Calm and Confidence With the Help of Somatic Therapy
It is possible to approach the holidays with a sense of ease and resilience, rather than just bracing for impact and hoping for the best. By tending to your nervous system ahead of time, you give yourself the support you need to not just survive the season, but to find moments of genuine joy and connection within it. You are worthy of a peaceful holiday season, and with these gentle preparations, you can create space for that peace to find you.
Ready to Explore Somatic Therapy in Phoenix for a Calmer Holiday Season?
If you've been bracing for the holidays, anticipating the tension and exhaustion before they even begin, please know you're not alone. What if this year could be different? What if you could give yourself the gift of calm before the chaos? Through It All Counseling, Somatic and Brainspotting therapy in Phoenix, offers a way to gently prepare your nervous system for the season. It’s a path that doesn’t demand you push through, but invites you to find your footing, breathe, and feel centered.
Whether you’re navigating difficult family dynamics, the pressure of expectations, or the quiet ache of past holidays, I’d be honored to support you. You don’t have to carry the weight of the season all by yourself. True resilience isn’t about being unbreakable; it’s about learning to tend to your own needs with compassion. If you’re ready to enter the holidays with more peace, I’m here to walk that path with you.
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Learn More About Brainspotting and Somatic Therapy
You Don’t Have to Survive the Holidays—You Can Find Joy In Them
More Therapy Services Offered at Through It All Counseling
Preparing your nervous system for the holidays is a deeply personal process, and your path to feeling grounded and safe should be just as unique. At Through It All Counseling, I offer a range of integrative and evidence-based therapies designed to meet you exactly where you are. Whether you're navigating the specific stress of the season, processing long-held trauma, or simply seeking a space to breathe, there is a gentle and effective way forward for you here.
In addition to Somatic and Brainspotting therapy, I offer Play Therapy, Expressive Arts, and Creative Art Therapy for children and teens who thrive through imagination, movement, and nonverbal expression. For adults and families, I integrate Polyvagal-informed care, Mindfulness-Based Interventions, and Family Systems Therapy—alongside practical tools such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT).
These approaches aren’t rigid protocols. They are compassionate, flexible tools we can use together to help you reconnect with your body’s inherent wisdom and capacity for healing. No matter what the holidays bring up for you, I am here to support you with curiosity, care, and a deep respect for your journey.
About the Author
Cristina Yturralde, M.C., LPC, is a certified Brainspotting therapist, Brainspotting Consultant, and somatic therapist in Phoenix. She brings nearly two decades of clinical experience to her practice, helping clients find calm and resilience, especially during stressful times like the holidays. Her approach is grounded in warmth, compassion, and a deep understanding of the mind-body connection, informed by both her professional expertise and her own healing journey.
Cristina believes that preparing for the holidays means tending to your nervous system with gentleness and care. At her private practice, Through It All Counseling, she integrates Brainspotting with Polyvagal-informed care and other nervous-system-focused methods to help children, teens, and adults feel more connected and at ease. She understands that feeling better doesn’t always start with words; it begins with safety, attunement, and listening to your body’s quiet wisdom. If you are looking for support to navigate the holiday season with a steady presence and an open heart, Cristina is here to help.
