"For many people, Thanksgiving week kicks off the most psychologically intense stretch of the year. Those in therapy or actively working to improve family relationships often feel the pressure most acutely. As a therapist, this is a week filled with conversations about anxiety, dread, and longing. Many clients share some version of the basic sentiment: "I've built an independent, responsible life, but the moment I walk through the Thanksgiving door, I'm suddenly a miserable teenager all over again." This is the week when many clients prepare to approach the holiday differently, hoping that by changing themselves, they can influence the family system."
"If your family is accustomed to a parent drinking themself into oblivion each Thanksgiving, for example, and that parent is newly in recovery, this deeply positive shift can unsettle the familiar script. Without the annual drunken spectacle, what will everyone talk about? Similarly, if someone decides to communicate more calmly and with less criticism, that shift may be met with resistance simply because others are expecting the same old c"
Thanksgiving often combines cherished rituals with an unspoken tradition of family drama, tension, and dysfunction. Many people experience the holiday week as the most psychologically intense time of the year, especially those working on family relationships. Attempts by individuals to change behavior—whether sobriety or calmer communication—can unsettle established family scripts and provoke resistance. Even well-intended changes can be met with confusion or backlash because they disrupt expected roles. Persistent practice and authentic personal work can produce real change within family systems. The film Pieces of April illustrates the emotional complexity and potential for transformation around family holidays.
Read at Psychology Today
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