Written by: Becky Beaton-York, PhD, Founder & Director of The Knowledge Tree
Holidays often arrive with familiar cultural imagery – togetherness, abundance, harmony, celebration. Yet many people experience this season differently. Clients who are grieving, estranged from family, navigating economic strain, or living outside dominant cultural or religious traditions may feel out of step with these expectations.
The dominant holiday story can unintentionally create pressure or invisibility for clients whose real lives do not align with the idealized version. Acknowledging this gap isn’t about rejecting joy; it’s about making room for the wide range of experiences that surface this time of year.
Inviting the Client’s Meaning – Not Assuming It
A culturally responsive approach begins with curiosity. Rather than presuming shared values or traditions, clinicians can open space by asking:
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- “What does this time of year tend to mean for you?”
- “Are there parts of the season that feel meaningful or grounding?”
- “Are there aspects that feel complicated or heavy?”
These questions help clients articulate their own narratives, whether joyful, ambivalent, or painful.
Recognizing Intersections and Inequities
This season can heighten disparities many clients live with year-round – financial pressure, interfaith tension, immigration stress, chosen-family reliance, racial or cultural microaggressions, or exclusion related to gender or sexual identity. Naming these possibilities helps clients feel seen and reduces the sense that they “should” experience the holidays a certain way.
Reflecting on Our Own Frames
The holidays also provide an opportunity for clinicians to examine the cultural meanings we ourselves carry. Our assumptions about family, generosity, or celebration can subtly shape how we listen and respond. Awareness helps ensure that the client’s reality remains centered.
Expanding the Frame of Belonging
Culturally responsive work during the holidays is ultimately about widening the clinical frame so that all experiences fit comfortably within it. When therapists acknowledge multiple cultural narratives with equal respect, clients experience a sense of legitimacy – the message that their story, in all its complexity, is welcome.
About The Knowledge Tree
The Knowledge Tree, led by Dr. Becky Beaton-York, offers continuing education created for clinicians who want training that’s practical, ethical, and genuinely energizing. Becky is a licensed psychologist, a nationally recognized speaker, and the founder of The Knowledge Tree. She’s trained thousands of therapists across the country and now guides Summit’s Behavioral Health Content and Curriculum with a focus on meaningful, evidence-based learning.
Whether you’re supporting people through trauma, navigating complex clinical decisions, or looking for new ways to grow in your work, The Knowledge Tree provides courses that help you stay current, confident, and connected. Explore upcoming behavioral health programs and see what’s launching soon at
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