Our conversation will focus on what to do to prepare for those family gatherings so that you don't lose your cool.

• Have you ever felt you have to perform like Martha Stewart and be the perfect hostess?
• Or, maybe you wanted to start a new tradition but it is met with resistance because “we’ve always done it this way!”
• Do you get tired of the constant battle of who to visit, so instead you rush around to 3 or 4 family households in a day? Exhausting!
• We all certainly have those relatives we see during the holidays that make us want to cringe. They’ll never change!

Donna Tuites is a licensed professional counselor of mental health (LPCMH) in the State of Delaware. She is also a certified employee assistance professional (CEAP). She has been in private practice with a group of other licensed professionals since 2006. Prior to that she worked as an employee assistance counselor and administrator in the Office of Women's Affairs, both at the University of Delaware, for 23 years. Her areas of specialization include women's issues, blending families and step-parenting, parenting skills, assertiveness, communication skills, and managing anxiety in everyday life.