School holidays arrive with a mix of excitement, pressure, noise, and… more noise. As parents, we often imagine long, relaxed days, happy kids, and slow mornings. In reality, holidays can quickly become a juggling act of boredom, big emotions, shifting routines, and siblings who suddenly forget how to coexist peacefully.
As December rolls around, something interesting happens in the therapy room. People begin quietly confessing that they’re not feeling the way they think they “should.” Christmas is supposed to be joyful, warm, magical… at least that’s what the ads, movies, and social media feeds tell us. But for many children, teenagers, and adults, the Christmas period brings something more complicated: pressure, exhaustion, emotional overload, and a creeping sense of “What’s wrong with me? Why am I not happy?”
Being a teenager today can feel like walking through a maze of pressure: school demands, social expectations, body image, friendships, identity, and constant comparisons online. Many young people hold themselves to impossibly high standards, and when they make a mistake or don’t meet those standards, their inner voice can turn harsh and unforgiving.
It’s 11pm. You can’t sleep. You’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and your thoughts are spiralling. Instead of texting a friend or scrolling endlessly, you open a mental health app. Within seconds, a chatbot greets you: “Hi there, how can I help you tonight?” It asks you to rate your mood, suggests some breathing exercises, and offers supportive phrases like, “You’re doing your best.” It feels reassuring. Safe. Like someone’s really there. But is it therapy?
“Walk with us to wellbeing.”
