Every so often, someone comes to mind for no obvious reason. Maybe it’s a friend you haven’t checked in with in a while, or a sibling you’ve been meaning to call.
You pause, reach for your phone, and send a quick, “Thinking of you. How are you?”
Sometimes it turns into light conversation. Other times it can turn into a moment of unexpected connection. Maybe they’ve been struggling or have been carrying more than anyone realized. And in that moment, you feel grateful you listened to that quiet nudge to reach out.
Not because you solved anything. But because you made space for someone to feel less alone.
As we approach the end of 2025, I keep coming back to that simple truth: connection can change the course of someone’s day. Sometimes their week. Perhaps even their life.
This season brings joy for many people, but it also brings loneliness for others. Both realities live side by side, and at Santé, we see that every day. The holidays can be a time of loneliness… the weather changes, the days are darker, and it can lead to feelings of depression. That’s why I’m holding tight to a message I hope reaches anyone who needs it: you are not alone this holiday season.
What This Season Means to Me, And to Santé
The end of the year always feels tender. Some people step into December surrounded by family, warm kitchens, and familiar traditions. Others move through it quietly, holding memories, navigating grief, or trying to steady themselves through the colder months.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to show up for one another in these moments. A phone call, shared laughter or a quick “I love you.”
Any time that you can connect with friends or family… take that opportunity. Joy doesn’t have to come from big moments. Sometimes it’s found in the smallest acts of care. The ones that remind us we’re seen.
Our Work Doesn’t Pause for the Holidays
One of the things I’m most proud of this year is how consistently our teams have shown up. Crisis doesn’t wait for a better time, and it doesn’t take a holiday. We don’t either.
“We’re twenty-four seven in crisis,” I reminded the team. “We’re here working on the holidays.” I say that not as a point of pride, but with gratitude. The people who choose this work choose to meet others at their most vulnerable moments. That’s not a seasonal commitment. It’s a calling.
We have 988 counselors who will be there to answer calls from anyone who needs confidential support.
Our mobile crisis teams will respond wherever someone feels unsafe or overwhelmed.
Outpatient therapists, case managers, and day programs will continue helping people build routines, stability, and hope.
And our Wellness & Recovery Centers will keep their doors open to anyone who needs community, companionship, or simply a place to sit where they don’t feel alone.
A Community That Understands What You’re Feeling
I want to say something directly to anyone who is struggling this season:
If you feel like nobody understands, I promise you, we get it.
Many of us at Santé have lived through loneliness ourselves. We have navigated depression or loss. Many of us know what it feels like to reach out for help and hope the person on the other end of the line understands.
When you connect with folks at Santé, you’re connecting with real people who get it and who may have been there before. This is something I want every person in our community to hear clearly. You are not reaching out to strangers. You’re reaching out to people who care, and often, people who have walked a similar road.
Gratitude for a Year of Hard Work and Heart
As I reflect on this year, the word that rises to the surface is gratitude.
I want to say thank you to our community.
I want to say thank you to our staff.
It’s been a very busy year for Santé, but I really appreciate what we’ve been able to provide.
This work is not simple. It asks for patience, humility, empathy, late nights, and early mornings. No matter what, our staff continue to offer all of that with steadiness and compassion.
My hope for them, and something I hold close, is that they continue to feel supported by the organization and able to live out their purpose in the work they do. Truly, their purpose is what keeps our mission alive.
A Year Closing, and a New One Opening
Looking toward 2026, I feel hopeful. We’re looking forward to being that grounding, that foundation for many that need it.
Grounding doesn’t come from grand gestures. It comes from steadiness. It comes from community built moment by moment.
And that is the kind of foundation we intend to keep building.
My Wish for You This Holiday Season
As this year comes to an end, don’t hesitate to reach out to someone who has been on your mind.
Send the text. Make the call.
Choose connection when that small voice nudges you.
It might be the moment that helps someone make it through the season.
From my heart to yours, and on behalf of everyone at Santé…
Happy holidays.
