SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Believe it or not, the holiday season is upon us. While it’s often a time to reconnect with loved ones, for many those holiday gatherings can be full of stress and anxiety.

This Wellness Wednesday Memorial Health’s Manager of Behavioral Health, Mary Jo Horton, is helping us make a plan for success.

Here are her suggestions for maintaining your peace throughout the holidays:

Holiday Gatherings – Planning for Success
• Be gentle and honest about expectations
• Empower yourself to have boundaries with time and discussions
• Employing people to aide with ensuring the peace

Emotional Self-Care for Gathering
• Be mindful of what will trigger anxiety
• Ensure you have given yourself self-care and nourishment
• Allow yourself an opportunity to step away for a breather

Tips for Navigating Conversational Minefields
• Consider having some individual conversations ahead of time
• Redirect conversations to neutral ground quickly
• Frequently verbalize the goal of enjoyment and connection to reframe conversation