A holiday is supposed to be a time for relaxing, participating in fun activities, getting distance from day-to-day hassles, and spending time with family or loved ones. However, the reality is that even positive events can cause stress, and demands or changes in routine are often unavoidable.

Too often we take holiday stress for granted. What’s worse, we often have higher expectations for this season than for any other time of the year. Planning for the holidays can leave us feeling impatient, cranky and, in some cases, depressed. When the realities of day-to-day life conflict with our efforts to make the holiday season perfect, stress results.

Chaplain Lynn Crager, MSN, director of spiritual care the Goldstone Caregiver Center at Danbury Hospital, and Miranda Dold, LCSW, social worker and manager of the Goldstone Caregiver Center, will lead a free program at the Wilton Family YMCA to discuss techniques for managing holiday stress on Monday, Dec. 19, at 11 a.m.. The program will be presented in the Meeting House at the Wilton Family Y (404 Danbury Rd.).

The event will cover practical tips to minimize the stress that accompanies the holidays and make room for more enjoyment.

Crager joined the Department of Spiritual Care at Danbury Hospital in September 2011. Prior to becoming director of spiritual care and the Goldstone Caregiver Center, Lynn served as oncology chaplain at the Whittingham Cancer Center, nurse chaplain for staff members (both at Norwalk Hospital), and staff chaplain at Danbury Hospital. Her first career was as a registered nurse, and she holds both BSN and MSN degrees. Crager is trained in critical incident stress management and psychological first aid at the Yale Center for Disaster Preparedness, and she is certified in Peggy Huddleston’s Prepare for Surgery:  Heal Faster and Resolve Through Sharing (perinatal bereavement support) programs and as a Legacy Navigator.

Dold is the manager of the Goldstone Caregiver Center. Prior to coming to Danbury Hospital, Miranda was the director of outreach and program development at Gilda’s Club Westchester in New York. In addition, she is a mental health specialist on the Administrative Team for Camp Viva, a year round Family Services of Westchester program for children and families infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS in New York.

To register for this program, please call 1.866.NHB.WELL (866.642.9355).