DREADING WINTER? How to Prepare Emotionally and Build Self-Trust

Are you dreading winter?

Winter can make your world feel smaller without you even noticing:- less movement, fewer people, more screens, more comfort eating, and sometimes a return to old coping habits.

But there isn’t one “right” way to prepare emotionally for winter. Generic advice like exercising more, socialising more or sticking to a routine only helps if it fits what you actually need.

In this episode, psychotherapist Shelley Treacher explores how to understand your own seasonal patterns, make it easier to do what genuinely helps, and build more trust in your own choices.

Drawing on recent research into seasonal mood changes, Shelley explains why winter affects people differently. She also explores how scrolling, comfort eating or seeking reassurance can be attempts to soothe or meet a need, rather than simply “bad habits” you need to stop.

You’ll learn how to:

• Make movement, daylight, rest and connection easier
• Notice what you might actually need when you reach for quick comfort
• Tell the difference between something that feels difficult and something that genuinely isn’t right for you
• Protect your independence and personal boundaries, including at Christmas
• Build self-trust without expecting yourself to always get it right

This isn’t about forcing yourself to be happy, busy or productive. It’s about getting better at recognising what you need, making supportive choices easier, and knowing how to find your way back when you get off track.

Complete these four sentences:

1. During winter, I tend to lose…
2. I feel more like myself when…
3. To make that easier, I can…
4. When I get off track, I can get back on track by…

What do you already know you need this winter, and what would it be like to trust yourself enough to give it to yourself?

Shelley Treacher is a BACP Senior Accredited Psychotherapist specialising in how emotions are experienced through the body.

Research mentioned

Zhang, Y. et al. (2025), Assessing seasonal and weather effects on depression and physical activity using mobile health data, npj Mental Health Research, 4, 11.

Read the research

Related listening

If you’re struggling with persistent low mood rather than simply adjusting to the changing season, you may also find this episode helpful:

 How Can I Stop Feeling Depressed?

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