One of the best past times for the holiday season is watching movies. The Hallmark Channel, Lifetime and Freeform (previously known as ABC Family) are on continual holiday movie rotation now and have been for about a month. The Christmas Story is about to be played for 24 straight hours. Movies are ingrained in our holiday celebrations and we’ve decided to have our team of experts share their favorite feel-good holiday movie to help you manage any sadness, loneliness or depression that can creep up during this time of the year.
#1 Amanda Landry, LMHC, CAP, NCC
My favorite feel-good holiday movie is Love Actually. This is a movie about love and the holidays, so what could be better? This message of the movie is love always wins. This movie shows a variety of people, in various settings and how their lives are intertwined and how love is at the root of their problems. I won’t ruin the movie for you but the title does give a hint at the lesson in the movie, love is all you need. ♥
If you are feeling lonely or wondering if your life is going to come together, I suggest you watch this movie. It’s set in England, which makes it even more interesting. If you are a Harry Potter fan, this movie is definitely for you because Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson are in it. Therefore in an alternate Universe, Professor Snape and Professor Trelawney are married.
So, what are you waiting for? Love Actually is on Netflix so you can start watching it right away. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy New Year!
Amanda Landry, LMHC, CAP decided to become a therapist while attending Nova Southeastern University. She saw the need to help people achieve the life they wanted to live, while creating a life of her own. She completed her master’s in Mental Health Counseling and started a career in the juvenile justice arena. Since then, she has started a private practice in Pembroke Pines, Florida, specializing in depression, anxiety relationship issues, and substance abuse. Amanda is a believer in holistic treatment and she practices veganism, meditation and yoga in her life. Find out more about her practice here. For a free 15-minute consultation, call or text Amanda at 954-378-5381 or email her at amanda@amandapattersonlmhc.com.
#2 Seher Jangda, M.S.
The holidays are a time where people can get anxious or depressed and many get stressed out. They lose their holiday spirit and can try to avoid participating in the holidays. One of my favorite holiday movies is A Dennis the Menace Christmas. In this movie, the character Mr. Wilson, is a depressed, grumpy old man who stopped participating in Christmas all together, for years. Dennis, a boy who was Mr. Wilson’s neighbor, had Mr. Wilson as his secret Santa. Dennis thought reviving Mr. Wilson’s Christmas spirit would be the best gift ever. Dennis is prone to accidents and causing trouble by mistake. So, every time he tried to revive Mr. Wilson’s Christmas Spirit, things kept getting worse, which made Mr. Wilson even more angry and depressed. Once a Christmas angel was able to show Mr. Wilson his past and how he was just like Dennis when he was a kid, Mr. Wilson got his Christmas Spirit back. He bought a Christmas tree, gifts and apologized for always being in such a bad mood. He lost his Christmas spirit when he was a child. He was just like Dennis when he was younger, always getting into trouble and causing accidents. Since he was always causing trouble when he was younger, he never got the gift he wanted as a young boy. His spirit was revived after the angel showed him his past and that every kid has a tendency to cause trouble every now and then, and that Christmas is a time for giving and happiness. Mr. Wilson didn’t want to have another kid lose their Christmas spirit, so he started to give back. Everyone was so surprised at how his mood and attitude had changed. He went from being a grumpy and depressed man, to a happy and jolly man.
Holidays can be sad and stressful, but if we remember the significance of it, we can get out of our moods and enjoy them just a little more.
I have a Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. I am a registered mental health counselor intern. I have extensive experience working with children and families in a variety of settings.
For the past 10 years, I have worked with the Broward County Public Schools as an educator and tutor. I have also worked with couples, families and individuals from varying cultural and socio economic backgrounds. I have a passion for helping my clients navigate through life’s hardships by helping them uncover and building upon their strengths.
I have worked at a behavioral health agency for children and families. I currently work with domestic violence victims, at a shelter, Sahara of South FL. I also work in private practice in Ft. Lauderdale.
Clients and colleagues describe me as empathetic, passionate, self-motivated, detail-oriented, and flexible. I have a very calming nature. I provide a comforting and welcoming environment to my clients, while also challenging and empowering my clients to step outside of their comfort zone in order to create growth. I can be reached via email at: saherjangda@gmail.com
Elf is another feel-good holiday favorite.
Click the image below to find out how Buddy can help you be more like him!
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