Embracing the Frost: Create a Winter Mindset With Acceptance and Commitment Therapy  

How We Experience Winter Matters

For many, the arrival of winter signals a period of darkness and dread. We often assume that the lack of sunlight and plummeting temperatures naturally lead to a decline in mood—a concept known in psychology as the latitude hypothesis. However, research into some of the world’s coldest and darkest regions suggests that our psychological interpretation of the season matters far more than the objective weather outside. 

A winter mindset is a subjective viewpoint or lens through which we understand our experiences of the season. Rather than being a fixed reaction to the cold, it is a set of beliefs and expectations that can either orient us toward “dread” or “delight”. 

Lessons from the High North 

Residents of extreme northern latitudes, such as Tromsø in Norway or the Arctic island of Svalbard, do not experience more wintertmie dread than those living further south. 

• The Power of Perspective: In Svalbard, where the night lasts for months, residents often hold significantly more positive wintertime mindsets than those in southern Norway. 
• Weather vs. Interpretation: Objective weather has been found to have little to no direct effect on overall life satisfaction. Instead, well-being is mediated by whether we view winter as a time of freezing limitation or as a season of unique beauty, soft light, and “coziness”. 

Simple Practices to Shift Your Mindset 

1. The “Noticing Nature” Intervention: Practice deliberately noticing everyday natural elements—such as the sparkle of snow or a bird in a barren tree. Noticing nature in winter has been shown to increase positive affect, and feelings of awe. 
2. Challenging Your Philosophy of Life: Many of us hold a “life-is-short-and-hard” mindset. However, shifting toward an optimistic philosophy that views life as “long and easy” is associated with higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction. This doesn’t mean ignoring reality; it means choosing a frame that emphasizes growth and opportunity rather than constant struggle. 

How Therapy Can Help Shift Your Perspective 

Changing a deeply ingrained mindset is rarely as simple as “deciding to be happy.” This is where therapeutic interventions, particularly Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), become invaluable. ACT is an evidence-based approach designed to enhance psychological flexibility—the ability to remain open to your experiences while taking action aligned with your values. 

Here is how therapy can help you navigate the winter months: 

• Fostering Acceptance: Rather than trying so hard to avoid the experience or escape the sadness and discomfort winter might bring—therapy teaches you to embrace these emotions without judgment. 

• Cognitive Defusion: Therapy helps you create psychological distance from your thoughts. You learn to see a thought like “I can’t cope with the dark” as a transient mental event rather than a literal, absolute truth. 

• Values Clarification: A therapist can help you identify what is truly important to you. In the context of winter, this might mean finding ways to maintain social well-being and community connection even when you feel like hibernating. 

• Committed Action: Once your values are clear, ACT encourages taking concrete, values-driven steps. This might involve committing to a winter activity you enjoy or practicing the “noticing nature” technique daily to foster resilience. 

Moving Toward Flourishing 

Winter does not have to be a season you simply “survive.” By working with a therapist to cultivate psychological flexibility and a positive seasonal mindset, you can move towards flourishing mental health—a state where you are actively doing good for yourself and finding meaning in every season. 

If you feel trapped in the “winter blues,” remember that your subjective interpretation is a tool you can learn to master. Therapy provides the framework to pick up that tool and begin seeing the “beautiful, blue and frozen morning” for the opportunity it truly is. 

Ready to explore Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?

Call or text us at 250-718-9291, and we’ll help get you connected with the counsellor who feels like the best fit for you.  

References:

• Anusuya, S. P., & Gayatridevi, S. (2025). Acceptance and commitment therapy and psychological well-being: A narrative review. Cureus, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.77705  
• Leibowitz, K., & Vittersø, J. (2020). Winter is coming: Wintertime mindset and wellbeing in Norway. International Journal of Wellbeing, 10(4), 35–54. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v10i4.935  
• Passmore, H.-A., Yargeau, A., & Blench, J. (2022). Wellbeing in winter: Testing the noticing nature intervention during winter months. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.840273  
• Schreiber, C., & Schotanus-Dijkstra, M. (2024). Enhancing mental wellbeing by changing mindsets? Results from two randomized controlled trials. BMC Psychology, 12, Article 77. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01470-2  

Written by: Danielle Grenier

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