Holiday Stress for High-Achieving Adults:
CBT Strategies to Reduce Anxiety | Amority Health
By: Rachel Cooper, MS, LPC-Associate
Supervised by Amber Quaranta Leech, PHD, LPC-S
For: Amority Health - Blog - Shifting Perceptions
Quick Summary
The holidays can be a high-pressure season, especially for high-achieving adults balancing work, family, and social obligations. Holiday stress can trigger anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout. Shifting perception from rigid, critical thinking to a balanced, self-compassionate mindset can help you feel calmer, more present, and confident. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers practical tools to guide this transformation.
Seeing the Holidays Through a New Lens:
Imagine carrying a heavy backpack packed with invisible “shoulds” and “musts.” During the holidays, that weight often doubles: perfect gifts, perfect decorations, perfect social interactions. Shifting perception is like stopping to open the backpack, examine what’s inside, and decide which burdens to set down. Your journey doesn’t get shorter, but it feels lighter, allowing you to enjoy the season more fully.
Common Internal Experiences During the Holidays
High-achieving adults often notice:
- Perfectionistic thoughts: “I must make everything perfect, or I’ve failed.”
- Heightened stress responses: Fatigue, irritability, or tension in social situations.
- Emotional overwhelm: Feeling pulled in multiple directions by work, family, and personal expectations.
Left unchecked, these patterns can turn what could be a joyful season into a cycle of overthinking and anxiety.
Benefits and Risks of Shifting Perception
Benefits:
- Reduced anxiety and holiday overwhelm
- Enhanced ability to enjoy family and social interactions
- Increased self-compassion and resilience
Risks or concerns:
- Discomfort noticing long-standing thought patterns
- Feeling guilty when letting go of “must-do” expectations
- Temporary stress as old habits are challenged
Guided therapy ensures these shifts are manageable, effective, and sustainable.
Practical CBT-Inspired Tools for Holiday Stress
- Notice your thoughts – Pay attention to self-talk like “I have to do it all” or “I can’t disappoint anyone.”
- Check the evidence – Ask: “Is this expectation realistic? How would I advise a friend?”
- Reframe – Replace rigid thoughts with balanced alternatives: “I can contribute meaningfully without doing everything myself.”
- Try it out – Set a boundary, delegate a task, or skip a less important obligation. Notice how it feels; often lighter than expected.
Even small shifts in perspective can make the holidays feel calmer, more present, and more satisfying.
In Closing
Holiday stress doesn’t have to dominate your season. Telehealth therapy offers a supportive space to explore thought patterns, manage anxiety, and build practical skills for balance and confidence. Taking the first step can make the season, and the year ahead, feel more manageable and fulfilling.
📅 Schedule a Free 15-Minute Consultation
Explore our other blog posts for more strategies to manage stress, maintain balance, and thrive as a high-achieving adult.
Suggestions:
Curious to explore more?
We have other blog posts that look at how shifting perception can help with everyday struggles, relationships, and deeper understanding.
Written by Rachel Cooper, a therapist specializing in burnout, perfectionism, and life transitions. Learn more about therapy for high achievers at Amority Health.
References
Beck, J. S. (2020). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Neenan, M., & Dryden, W. (2019). Cognitive therapy: 100 key points and techniques. Routledge.
