December is the month when therapist schedules get stretched the thinnest.
Clients are stressed. Calendars get chaotic. Travel, family dynamics, financial pressure, and end-of-year emotions all collide at once.
And quietly, many therapists carry the pressure to be always available, even during their own time off.
Here’s the truth every therapist needs to hear this month:
You’re allowed to rest during the holidays.
You’re allowed to protect your time.
And you’re allowed to set boundaries without apologizing for them.
In fact, clear boundaries support both you and your clients.
Below are five essential boundaries every therapist should set before the month gets busy.
1. Communicate Your Holiday Availability Early
Most boundary issues in December come from unclear expectations, not client needs.
A simple message to your caseload outlining:
When you’ll be available
When you’ll be offline
How to reach you in case of crisis
When they can expect replies
Any changes to scheduling or billing
…prevents 90% of confusion and anxiety on both sides.
Early communication is not rigidity. It’s support.
2. Set a Holiday Autoresponder (and Actually Use It)
Your out-of-office is a boundary, not a barrier.
A clear autoresponder helps clients understand:
Your expected response time
Who to contact in emergencies
When you’ll return
When they can expect scheduling confirmations
It protects your time off while keeping clients informed and grounded.
An autoresponder can sound warm, caring, and human, not cold or clinical.
3. Decide How Clients Should and Should Not Reach You
One of the biggest stressors for therapists in December is being contacted on multiple channels: text, email, DMs, portal messages.
Before the holidays, clarify:
“This is how to reach me for scheduling.”
“This is how to reach me in an urgent situation.”
“Please do not contact me through ____.”
Channel clarity reduces overwhelm, protects your personal time, and ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
4. Reduce Your Caseload or Set Flexible Scheduling Boundaries
Holiday scheduling is unpredictable.
Travel, illnesses, last-minute changes, and weather all contribute to an unusual month.
Before December peaks, consider:
Offering limited hours
Setting a deadline for reschedules or cancellations
Blocking off days for rest
Protecting a lighter caseload if you need it
You’re not “abandoning” clients by planning for sustainability.
You’re preventing burnout, which helps you stay present and effective.
5. Reaffirm Your Crisis Plan
Clear crisis instructions actually reduce anxiety and dependency.
Before the break, remind clients of:
What constitutes an emergency
Who to contact in urgent situations
Local and national crisis lines
Your expected response time during the holidays
This allows you to step away with confidence and ensures your clients know exactly where to turn.
Why These Boundaries Matter:
Boundary clarity is not just for you. It strengthens therapeutic safety.
When clients know what to expect, when you’re available, how to reach you, what happens during your time off, they feel more secure, not less.
And you get the time you need to rest, regulate, and return to work grounded, not depleted.
And it models something many clients have never seen:
healthy, proactive boundary-setting.