If you’re feeling pressure to make the holidays special for everyone else—while running on fumes yourself—you’re not alone. Many people, especially caregivers, parents, and those socialized to prioritize others, carry the unspoken expectation to “create magic” this time of year. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we want you to know: you’re not obligated to perform holiday joy. Your well-being matters too.

As the days grow shorter and colder, you might find yourself feeling more tired, irritable, or disconnected—and wondering why. Winter can bring on big emotional shifts, especially for those navigating seasonal affective disorder (SAD), grief, depression, or burnout. But the problem isn’t you. It might just be the season. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we believe your mental health deserves care that honors the natural rhythm of winter.

You’ve probably heard the messages your whole life: Be strong. Don’t cry. Handle it. For many men—and anyone raised with expectations of masculinity—these beliefs become barriers to emotional expression and mental health care. During Movember and Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re here to say: you’re allowed to feel. And getting support isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.

The holiday season often arrives wrapped in expectations of joy, celebration, and togetherness. But for many, it’s a season of grief—grief for people who have died, identities we’ve left behind, families that aren’t safe, or versions of life we hoped to have. If this time of year brings more ache than cheer, you’re not broken. You’re human.

The holidays are supposed to be joyful, cozy, and connected. But for many people, this time of year brings more stress than celebration—especially when paired with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), social pressure, and complex family dynamics. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we want you to know: you’re not alone if you’re dreading the holiday season. You deserve to protect your peace.

If you're the one everyone turns to—the fixer, the emotional anchor, the reliable one—you might also be the one most at risk for burnout. November is National Family Caregivers Month, and at Sprout Therapy PDX, we want to recognize the often invisible labor of caregiving. Whether you’re supporting a child, partner, parent, or chosen family member, your mental health matters too.

As we move through October—into colder nights, longer shadows, and Halloween imagery everywhere—it can bring up parts of ourselves that we usually keep hidden. The sensitive ones. The intense ones. The grieving, angry, or loud ones we’ve been told are “too much.” But at Sprout Therapy PDX, we believe those parts deserve care—not containment.

You don’t need to hit rock bottom to ask for support. In fact, one of the most powerful things you can do for your mental health is check in before things feel overwhelming. October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month—a reminder that early support is not only valid, it’s essential. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we believe mental health screenings are acts of care, not crisis.

World Mental Health Day invites us to reflect on the state of mental health care and to dream about what it could become. At Sprout Therapy PDX, we believe mental health care shouldn’t just be about surviving another crisis. It should be about imagining and building systems that support thriving, connection, and dignity for everyone.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one struggling—or that something must be wrong with you for needing support—you’re not alone. Mental illness is far more common than most people realize. And during Mental Illness Awareness Week (Oct 6–12), we’re reminded that sharing our experiences and breaking the silence can be a powerful step toward healing.