Parent and Guardian Webinar: Connection and Care at Christmas  

Navigating the Festive Season Together with your LGBTQ+ young person 

Facilitated by Dr Ray O’Neill 

Christmas can be a difficult time for some LGBTQ+ young people, without the normal social supports that they can come to rely on throughout the year. 

Join us online on Wednesday, 26 November from 7pm to 8pm for a supportive and practical information event for parents, guardians and carers of LGBTQ+ young people.  

At this webinar, clinical psychologist Dr Ray O’Neil will provide information on how you can best support your young person through it, helping to manage festive pressures, foster inclusion and sustain wellbeing during the festive period for all in the family. 

What we’ll cover:   

• Making Christmas More Inclusive — Supporting yourselves and your LGBTQ+ young person during Christmas  

• Staying Grounded — Managing stress and expectations as a parent or guardian 

• Navigating family dynamics and conversations over the festive period 

In Detail  

Making Christmas More Inclusive — Supporting Yourselves and your LGBTQ+ Young Person During the Holidays 
How to make the festive season welcoming and affirming for all your family around LGBTQ+ inclusion:   

• Understand the unique pressures LGBTQ+ young people can face at Christmas. 

• Identify small but meaningful changes and additions to your family customs and traditions to enhance togetherness within your home.  

• Explore ways to carry inclusive, kind family practices into the new year. 

Staying Grounded — Managing Stress and Expectations as a Parent or Guardian 

The holidays often bring emotional demands, social pressures and high expectations. We’ll discuss strategies for managing stress, so you can be there with presence and compassion for yourself and your family, including:  

• Recognise signs of holiday stress and emotional overload. 

• Learn mindfulness and self-compassion tools to restore calm and focus for you. 

• Explore practical ways to balance your own wellbeing with family needs. 

Navigating Family Dynamics and Conversations Over the Festive Period 
Extended family gatherings can bring joy — but sometimes also tension (we all know that one relative!). We’ll cover managing difficult conversations, navigating wider family relationships, and maintaining your values while protecting yourself and your LGBTQ+ young person’s sense of boundaries, respect and privacy, including:   

• Consider agreed communication strategies for challenging conversations. 

• Build confidence in addressing insensitive or exclusionary remarks. 

• Explore boundary-setting techniques that maintain peace and protect wellbeing. 

About Dr Ray  

Assistant Professor of Psychotherapy at Dublin City University. He also runs a private Psychotherapeutic practice, working primarily, though not only, with LGBTQ+ clients.  

Known as one of Ireland’s few male ‘agony aunts,’ Ray regularly appears on The Ray D’Arcy Show and co-hosted RTÉ’s Then Comes Marriage. Through his media work, he explores modern 

conversations about love, dating relationships and sexuality.