Holidays often arrive with a long list of unspoken expectations; traditions we’ve inherited, roles we’re expected to play, and ideas about how celebrations “should” look. At our therapy center, we often hear from parents, caregivers, and kids feeling pulled between wanting the holidays to be joyful and feeling overwhelmed by the expectations. Sometimes what used to work no longer fits. And sometimes, the season we’re in simply calls for something different.

Noticing changes in a loved one’s memory, behaviour, or personality can bring up many emotions — concern, confusion, frustration, even guilt about whether or not to say something. For many families, dementia is not an easy subject to broach. And yet, beginning the conversations with different family members can be an important first step toward clarity and support.

From When Harry Met Sally to Love Actually, romantic comedies make us laugh, cry, and cheer for love. But as fun as they are, romcoms often skip over what love looks like after the credits roll. That’s where the hit TV series Couples Therapy feels like such a stark contrast and perhaps why it has become such a hit phenomenon: instead of first dates and big declarations, it shows us the work, the vulnerability, and the courage of two people trying to stay connected through life’s hardest moments.