Ah the holidays, that blessed time of year when we come together with our highly functional family systems to engage in some good, old-fashioned fun. If that sounded like a joke, this episode is for you. Dr. Rick and Forrest explore how to survive the holidays with the dishes (mostly) intact. They talk about the pull of dysfunctional family systems, our tendency to return to the way things were “back then,” and balancing the desire to flip the Thanksgiving table with the desire to just make it through another year. I thought this was one of the most interesting conversations we’ve had recently, and I hope you enjoy it.You can watch this episode on YouTube.Key Topics:0:00: Introduction2:15: What makes the holidays tough?5:45: The gap between who you are now and how your family system interacts with you14:45: Parents yearning for the past, and craving gratitude24:20: Finding agency amidst obligation26:55: The weaponization of morality, and not needing to defend boundaries32:45: Appreciating something about people amidst your struggles with them, and identifying the stakes38:50: Getting through when it’s hard43:30: The tension and ambiguity of wanting to speak up47:00: Resourcing yourself ahead of time, and recognizing what’s in your best interest51:50: Two kinds of grief and loss1:01:40: RecapSupport the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.Sponsors:Start speaking a new language in just 3 weeks with Babbel! Get 55% off at Babbel.com/BEING.Zocdoc helps you find expert doctors and medical professionals that specialize in the care you need, and deliver the type of experience you want. Head to zocdoc.com/being and download the Zocdoc app for FREE.Factor delivers fresh, never-frozen, fully prepared meals right to your door. Head to factormeals.com/beingwell50 and use code beingwell50 to get 50% off. Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month!Want to sleep better? Try the Calm app! Visit calm.com/beingwell for 40% off a premium subscription.Finally get that project off the ground with Squarespace! Head to squarespace.com/beingwell for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch use coupon code BEINGWELL to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.Connect with the show:Subscribe on iTunesFollow Forrest on YouTubeFollow us on InstagramFollow Forrest on InstagramFollow Rick on FacebookFollow Forrest on FacebookVisit Forrest's website