As the warm weather becomes more familiar, excitement for summer is building—for kids and adults alike! Whether it’s exotic vacations or just slowing down the pace, summer opens the door to new rhythms and adventures. But for many parents, this season can also bring a unique set of challenges as the school-year structure disappears. It’s […]
Let’s be real, summer has a way of throwing us off balance. Routines change, school’s out, the days feel longer and suddenly, everything can either feel incredibly relaxing or downright chaotic. For parents, it can be a bit of both. On one hand, there’s more time to connect with family and friends and on the […]
19
Jun
Jun
Ahhh…. Relationships. The essence of human existence. Without human connection, what else do we have? Let’s face it, building meaningful relationships takes hard work. They take patience, time, consistency, involve trust, effective communication…however, it’s not always that easy. It requires us to show up being present, actively listening to the other person and genuinely appreciating […]
In Our Chair
What I Learned This Week (and Keep Re-Learning): Progress and Healing Aren’t Always Linear
17
Jun
Jun
This week, I was reminded—again—that progress isn’t always linear. As a counsellor, I say that often to clients. I believe it. But living it? That’s a different story. I have two young adults and one teenager, each navigating their own unique ups and downs. Some days they’re thriving, full of insight and independence; other days, […]
Prevention is often discussed when it comes to our physical health, but we don’t always consider mental health preventative treatment. There are many studies, dating back decades, that highlight the protective impact of having a solid foundation when it comes to your mental health. Whether you call it Preventative Psychology, Positive Psychology, or Salutogenesis, this […]
12
Jun
Jun
Wow! What a way to make a first impression. First day of practicum and I show up without my computer – just me and a water bottle. What was I thinking? Was I even thinking that morning as I was getting ready to start my first day? I know I was feeling overwhelmed, nervous and […]
Grief often shows up in our lives when we least expect it. We usually think of grief as something tied to the loss of a loved one, but it’s a feeling that can come up in so many different ways. It can come from the end of a friendship, ending a relationship, a shift in […]
As the warm weather becomes more and more familiar, the excitement for summer is starting to build for kids and adults alike! The arrival of summer marks an exciting opportunity to incorporate seasonal activities for your family, whether it’s exotic vacations or just a change of pace to a more laid-back normal. But amongst the […]
After reading Dr. Becky’s Good Inside, I reflected on the feeling of shame in children, and how this feeling comes up often in parenting sessions. For many children, shame is a feeling that communicates, “I can’t be feeling this way”, and “I’m bad”. Shame freezes children, which might look like your child refusing to apologize, […]
What is Executive Dysfunction? Executive dysfunction is a deficit in one’s ability to use higher-order cognitive skills, such as planning, organizing, focusing, managing time, and controlling emotions. Those who struggle with executive dysfunction may have more difficulty getting started on tasks, finishing tasks, making decisions, following multi-step directions, remembering sequences of information, and not acting […]