International students face a range of challenges when they first arrive in Canada, especially in a bustling city like Toronto. Some of the common difficulties they might encounter include: Cultural Adjustment: Adapting to a new culture can be overwhelming. Differences in language, customs, social norms, and even weather can create a sense of isolation and…
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based model of therapy that aims to teach people new skills and strategies that can enable them into creating fulfilling lives.1 What is DBT? Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). DBT is designed to help manage emotional dysregulation, increased distress tolerance, and improve…
Many parents are very happy to hear that their child has been classified as “gifted.” They assume that their child will do very well in school and have a very bright future because they are “gifted.” While “gifted” children may excel in certain academic areas, often they have difficulties in other social situations or academic…
Absolutely… NOT… I am not perfect; I am not infallible, unflappable or stoic; I lack confidence and have fragile self-esteem; I am indecisive and can procrastinate as much, if not more than anyone else; I am not always calm, carefree, and happy; I do not have a life which is free from stress, anxiety or…
Codependency Patterns in Chronic Illness Written by: Tracey Nguyen, RN MN Did you know that codependency and chronic illness are linked? There is a clear relationship between codependent behaviour and chronic disease, even cancer. Codependency is normalized in our culture and society but it’s only harmful to the self because of the way we…
Many of us have heard the fairytales where the Prince meets his Princess and they get married and live happily ever after. However, this is a fairytale and unfortunately many marriages don’t survive and end in divorce. A divorce is a very sad ending for a couple and a family. However, some divorces are not…
Parents say all the time that they are waiting for their children to graduate high school before they divorce. The belief is that divorce hurts children for life. This is not true. Of course every child has difficulties adjusting to a divorce, but it does not ruin their lives. What ruins a child’s life is…
Many people tend to assume only people who were directly exposed to a trauma will experience issues related to the trauma and may develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, this is not the truth. Many people may not have lived through the trauma, but they may know someone who did or they were exposed…
When teenagers were attending school remotely, many teens developed habits of sleeping in longer and staying up later. Summer vacation has not helped this issue. To most teenagers summer means sleeping in and staying up later playing online games with their friends or watching movies on their phones. This definitely does not promote a good…
Over the next few weeks, many teens will be starting their first year in high school. Parents this is a good time to think back to your first day of high school and how you felt and what you were expecting. This can help you relate to some of the feelings your teenager may be…