Here's a strategy to get through stressful holiday gatherings. Act like a dull rock
By JAMIE DUCHARME
Updated 12:04 AM EST, November 26, 2025
The holidays are a time of ...
People think, ”’How do I deal with relatives who, at times, are intrusive or trigger me or say things that are abusive?” said Mark Rapaport, president-elect of the American Psychiatric Association.
When trying to defuse stressful family dynamics, some people use a strategy called “gray rocking.”
The point is to “act boring, like a gray rock,” said Samantha Whiten, a Maryland-based clinical psychologist. “You do not give difficult people any potential ammunition.”
Is gray rocking actually a smart way to survive the holiday season?
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Other points...
Here’s what experts said.
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When it can be helpful
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And when gray rocking hurts
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Go in with a game plan
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More...
https://apnews.com/article/family-tension-holidays-gray-rocking-cf275e8f7654edfafa0f062710cfb8ce
I hope that everyone enjoys the days of their holiday season this year.
❤️pants