Family gatherings can be stressful, to say the least. However, with a little forethought and some preparation, you can transform a bad scenario into one everyone can enjoy.

Over the next few pages, we’ll help you explore family gatherings from two points of view: the things others do that cause you stress and the things that you do to contribute to family tensions. We’ll help you take a fresh look at where your stress starts and what healthy responses you can make to minimize anxiety.

Let’s start with what other people might do to upset you.

You may be anticipating a lot of negative situations. We suggest you focus on the one thing that will upset you the most. If you handle this situation well, the others will be easier to deal with. (You’ll also have an opportunity to retake this course, if there is more than one issue you’d like to address.)

Let’s ground the discussion by identifying someone who might do something that would upset you at a holiday get-together.

Name: 

Gender: