Navigating Post-Holiday Depression: Reclaiming Joy Through Creativity

The energy shift becomes unmistakable as the holiday season fades, twinkle lights come down, and the decorations are packed and put away. The weeks after the holiday season often bring a quiet stillness and emotional heaviness.

Whether you are a therapist, an artist, or someone navigating the intersection of creativity and wellness, the post-holiday slump is a familiar experience- marked by emotional and physical depletion and reflection.

Post-Holiday Depression (PHD) is more than a personal struggle; it is a phenomenon that touches many of us and underscores the psychological patterns tied to transitions, endings, and the absence of communal rituals. This article explores the emotional undercurrents of PHD and how self-reflection, mindfulness, creative practice, and the arts can empower us to facilitate renewal, healing, and reconnection with joy, inspiring us to take charge of our emotional well-being.

Understanding Post-Holiday Depression

The Emotional Contrast Effect

The holiday season amplifies emotions, social engagement, and sensory experiences. The contrast can feel stark when the new year begins, and life returns to its usual pace. This shift is a shared experience for many, from artists and therapists to those navigating emotional rhythms—moving from moments of intensity to quieter periods of reflection.

Many people, artists and therapists alike, are familiar with this experience—and describe moving from times with creative peaks to quieter periods of reflection. This effect mirrors this post-holiday shift. Recognizing this dynamic helps normalize the experience and paves the way for compassionate self-care.

Anticipation and Void

Creative anticipation—whether preparing for an exhibition, performance, or major project—fosters excitement. The holidays function similarly. After the event or season, the sudden absence of 'something to look forward to’ leaves a void, triggering feelings of emptiness. For creatives, this parallels the experience of finishing a significant piece of work and, again, facing a blank canvas.  

Exhaustion and Burnout

For many, the holidays bring social overcommitment, emotional labor, and physical exhaustion. Like the post-project fatigue artists experience, this emotional hangover can manifest as burnout. Therapists might observe this in clients or feel it personally after weeks of intensive end-of-year sessions. Understanding this cycle allows space for recovery.

Isolation and Reflection

While the holiday season promises connection, it can also underscore loss, grief, and loneliness.

The stillness that follows the holidays often heightens these emotions and parallels the introspection of artistic practice for creatives, where solitude can spark inspiration and amplify feelings of melancholy.

Easing the Transition Through Creativity and Wellness Practices

Reframe the Lull as Incubation

Rather than viewing post-holiday quiet as stagnation, consider it an incubation period. Embrace the Hermit archetype. Artists and therapists understand the value of stillness in fostering creative insight. Use this time to rest and nurture new ideas, draft outlines, or engage in exploratory sketches or freewriting without judgment.

Honoring the Winter Season

In the Northern Hemisphere, winter represents a time of rest and introspection. This natural cycle aligns with the need for stillness after the holidays. Rather than resisting this period, honor it. Let the quiet be fertile ground for future creative bursts. Recognize that stepping into the new year with intention rather than urgency cultivates sustainable well-being and leads to resilience.

Create New Personal Rituals

Rituals provide stability. Creating simple post-holiday rituals can turn this period into an opportunity for renewal and grounding. Rituals and connecting to your inner artist provide structure and continuity, essential for emotional and physical recalibration. It might look like writing a daily journal page, evening meditative sketching, or dedicating weekends to artistic experimentation. Consider taking yourself on an 'artist date,' a concept introduced by Julia Cameron in The Artist's Way, a popular guide to unlocking creativity.

Engage in Nature-Inspired Creativity

Nature is a powerful source of inspiration and healing. Activities like outdoor sketching, journaling in a garden, or taking mindful walks can offer refreshing perspectives. Encourage your clients, peers, or yourself to integrate nature into the creative process as a therapeutic tool.

Gratitude and Artistic Reflection

Gratitude journaling is a well-established mental health practice. For creatives, consider expanding this to include artistic reflection—drawing or painting moments of gratitude, crafting gratitude mandalas (a circular design that incorporates images and words representing things you are grateful for), or photographing moments of joy. The act of creation enhances the emotional benefits of gratitude, fostering deeper engagement and mental clarity.

Maintain Creative and Social Connections

Many artists report thriving by sharing space in community studios and workspaces. Many therapists in private practice find inspiration and community through workshops and consultation groups. 

If you find yourself suffering from Post-holiday depression, try easing it through shared experiences. Step outside your comfort zone and try hosting small creative gatherings, attending open mics, or engaging in collaborative projects, which can reignite a sense of belonging. Therapists might consider group art therapy sessions or creative support circles for their clients facing isolation and themselves.

Set Intentional, Gentle Goals

Rather than plunging into ambitious resolutions for the new year, embrace gentle goals rooted in curiosity and care. For artists, this may mean exploring a new medium without expectation. For mental health professionals, it might involve learning a new therapeutic modality or engaging in personal creative practices. Gentle and compassionate goals foster sustainable growth and relieve the pressure of perfection, providing a sense of reassurance and comfort.

Overcoming Emotional Burnout-Creative Expression as a Path to Healing

Creativity remains one of the most profound and underutilized tools for navigating emotional lows. Writing, painting, sculpting, or dancing allow unspoken feelings to surface and transform. Encourage clients, peers, or yourself to approach creative work as a companion during times of transition, not as a solution.

By embracing creativity and aligning with seasonal cycles, we can transform post-holiday challenges into opportunities for healing, growth, and renewed joy. Take this time to nurture your imagination, and let each moment of reflection spark inspiration for what's ahead.

Each quiet moment offers the potential for inspiration, healing, and renewal—embrace it.

By Dr. Amy Vail and Alli Fischenich