By Nancy Stoops

Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

The holidays, for many of us, are joyful and fun, but that isn’t the case for everybody or every family. I think with the way our economy is this holiday season, it may be especially hard for many families.

I wanted to let you all know that I run free support groups. I run a group every Monday evening from 6 to 8 p.m., each week at the Walnut Gymnasium and Teen Center (located at 21003 La Puente Road in Walnut; their phone number is (909) 444-0089). I also run a grieving group the first Friday of every month from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Walnut Senior Center (located at 21215 La Puente Road in Walnut; their phone number is (909) 598-6200). Both of these groups are subsidized by the City, and in turn are free to you. These groups have been in place for over 15 years and have helped thousands of people. All you have to do to participate is show up. My Monday evening group handles many court-mandated needs as well.

So whether you’re feeling depressed during the season or just plain overwhelmed, come to a group and get some support. It can be very consoling to find out that you’re not the only one feeling the way you do during the season.

Just remember to not get so caught up in worrying about giving the perfect gift, or providing the perfect meal, or worrying that your house isn’t looking good enough to host a party. Keep in mind that the season is just about sharing and spreading our love. So focus on doing just that and don’t worry so much about not having a ton of money to spend on your loved ones.

We tell our children and loved ones to just to their best; well, now I’m telling all of you the same thing. Embrace the season and enjoy good times with your loved ones, all the while reminding yourself how very blessed you really are!

This article was written by Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T. Nancy is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has a private practice in Diamond Bar and is currently accepting new clients. Nancy is also a motivational speaker who can inspire your employees or group members. She runs free family support groups, a group on loss for seniors, and groups on how to manage anger. For more information about any of these services, feel free to contact Nancy at (909) 229-0727; or you may e-mail her at stoopsshecter@earthlink.net. You may purchase Nancy’s books, Live Heal and Grow and Midnight the Therapy Dog at Amazon.com.