A Hopeful Start to 2026

The Wellness Update

December 2025

December always feels like a pause between who we were this year and who we’re becoming next year. There is so much talk about goal setting and making new year's resolutions. The idea is often “new year, new you.” But…how do you make resolutions when every day feels hard?

This celebratory season can feel overwhelming for anyone experiencing loss, those who are grieving, or those going through an uncertain time. This season can feel like a contraction: grief and gratitude, celebrations and overwhelming stress, loneliness and never ending invitations.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about what it means to hold hope when life feels messy - as a mom, a psychologist, a human. How do we cultivate that audacious hope that gets us from where we might be struggling in 2025 to a place where we overcome in 2026?

This month, I want to offer a hope-filled grounding technique as we look toward 2026. Keep reading for a way to help your family reconnect, reset, and imagine the year ahead with intention: the Family Vision Board.

“… Parents model hope, not by being perfect or cheerful, but by holding on to possibility, even in messy or challenging seasons, and modeling emotional regulation, problem solving, and resilience.”

Why Hope is a Psychological Necessity

Hope is the belief that things can be different with time and effort. Research shows that hope is more than a feel-good idea. It's a psychological resource tied to resilience, emotional regulation, and motivation. As parents, we model hope for our children - especially when life feels uncertain. Kids and teens need adults who can hold both reality and possibility.

Psychologists describe hope as more than positivity — it’s a motivational engine inside the brain. According to Snyder’s Hope Theory, hope is made up of two parts:

Agency — the belief you can move toward a goal
Pathways — the ability to find different ways to get there

🌱 Hope Strengthens Resilience

Children and adults with higher levels of hope show greater resilience; they’re better able to bounce back from stress, adapt to change, and recover from difficult experiences. (C.R. Snyder, Psychological Inquiry, 2002).

🌱 Hope Supports Emotional Regulation

Hopeful individuals are more likely to use adaptive coping strategies, regulate their emotions during stress, and stay engaged instead of shutting down. (Snyder et al., Journal of Personality, 1991)

🌱 Hope Fuels Motivation and Goal Directed Behavior

Hope is deeply tied to motivation. When we believe change is possible, the brain stays open, flexible, and willing to try new strategies. (Snyder, Rand, & Sigmon, Handbook of Positive Psychology, 2002)

practice Updates

Thanksgiving CBT + Cooking Camp Recap

This Thanksgiving we launched our first ever Cooking + CBT Camp led by Bailey Grunder, LPC-A. Thanksgiving Cooking Camp was a huge hit — kids practiced real CBT and coping skills while whisking, chopping, laughing, and learning to handle frustration with confidence.

See photos and watch videos here →

Accepting New Clients

Bailey, LPC-A, still has openings for children, teens, and young adults who need support with OCD, anxiety, disordered eating, and self confidence.
Carla Wall, LPC-A, has openings for children, teens, and families seeking support with OCD, anxiety, ADHD, and emotional regulation.
Allison Leibman, LPC-A, has limited availability for young adults and parents navigating ocd, anxiety, phobias, or panic.

Schedule a phone consultation or initial evaluation with Bailey, Carla, or Allison HERE. →

Get matched with a therapist

or Book an Appointment

Free Resources for Parents, Educators, and Clinicians

Catch up on our most recent blogs, written by our expert clinicians:

In Making Therapy Fun, Engaging, and Evidence-Based for Children and Adolescents, Bailey Grunder, LPC-A explains how blending play, creativity, and evidence-based strategies helps kids build skills and stay motivated in therapy.
Discover how small shifts in routine and emotional support can make winter break smoother for kids and parents in How to Reduce Dysregulated Behaviors During Winter Break by Ivy Ruths, PhD
Alyssa Hertz, PsyD, explains how to support a child with ARFID during holiday meals with compassion, preparation, and evidence-based strategies that reduce mealtime anxiety in ARFID and the Holiday Table: How to Support a Child Who Struggles With Eating.
In Tech, Teens, and Anxiety: What Parents Need to Understand in 2026 Carla Wall, LPC-A offers a compassionate look at teens, phones, and anxiety, plus three powerful tech rules that help families create calmer, more connected digital routines.

I'll sign off this year with a reminder: you don’t need the perfect year ahead — you just need hope, intention, and connection.

And if this year wasn’t what you hoped it would be, you’re not alone. You have the power to shape something softer, kinder, and more grounded in 2026.

Always honored to be on this journey with you.

Before You Go, Catch Up On

The Wellness Update!

Houston Anxiety & Wellness Center
832-205-8120 | Info@HoustonAnxiety.com

4306 Yoakum Boulevard, Suite 510
Houston, Texas 77006, USA

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