The essence of healing is connection – first, to yourself. Then, to others. Your human nature directs you to seek bonding. You are, biologically and neurologically, wired for this. Unfortunately, when carrying unhealed trauma, you could seek harmful connections because you’re disconnected from yourself. Trauma is that very separation from the body and emotions.- Gabor…
Self care is the ultimate buzz word in therapy. We are bombarded with reminders to practice self care as a coping skill, to decrease stress, to recharge our batteries. But what actually constitutes self care? Visions of spa days and yoga classes come to mind, but seem out of reach for a typical day as…
Our primary job as parents is to teach our children healthy habits of self-discipline and self-regulation. I wholeheartedly believe the most successful way to do this is by connecting to our children in a calm, safe, attuned, and curious manner. When children feel safe, they have the freedom to explore, take risks and develop in…
I start almost every parenting blog with the statement “parenting is hard; really really hard”, and that’s because every time I sit down to reflect on parenting issues, that is the first thought that pops into my mind. I am a professional licensed counselor, and I too mess this parenting thing up… often…. maybe almost…
I attended a book talk by James Clear on his book ‘Atomic Habits’ at the Rotman School here in Toronto in December 2019. The following post is my highlight notes of the event. ”Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” – James Clear A New Take…
So you or someone you love is a student working online….at the clinic we find that students have been hit pretty hard with mental health challenges since the pandemic including increased anxiety, loneliness, and even hopelessness. It’s been hard to adapt to online learning and stay inspired! For online learning, you have to set boundaries,…
I’m getting a better, clearer picture of what the mind looks like. There are facets to the mind, the facets are described as developmental phases of awareness. Each phase builds upon the next both including and expanding upon the previous facet. There is a process of growth at each facet, best described by Ken Wilber…
Ever experienced that creeping sense of dread that comes over you on Sunday night, as the prospect of going back to school or work looms closer? Well, it’s called the Sunday scaries, and new research shows that the pandemic has made it even worse, particularly for young people. A new LinkedIn survey with 3,000 respondents…
Reducing your Stress Break tasks down – This is one of my favourites. The premise is that even if you do just 1 thing a day, this can help reduce feelings of overwhelm and make things more manageable. That one thing could be work-related or may be something in your personal life, such as doing one…
Often, we find ourselves trying to live up to impossible standards. Sometimes, these are standards we place upon ourselves or others place upon us. Either way, the pressure to reach impossible standards leaving us feeling inadequate and never enough. It is common for people to spend too much time working on things, whether it is…