anxiety
No Bones About It: Dogs are good for our health, even in the therapy room!
"Please bring him back if you can, he makes such a positive difference." a client says to me at the end of the hour, much to my surprise, after the unexpected addition of my dog to a therapy session. This...
How to Talk About Suicide
Suicide is an emotional word. Feelings of confusion, fear, anger, and even disgust are common responses when the topic comes up in conversation, rare as that might be. As a clinical counsellor, I have felt all of these emotions when...
The Mental Health Boot Camp
Think about it. Your mental health plays a role in EVERY area of your life: relationships, work, physical health, spirituality, even sex. Isn't it time you made it a priority? The Mental Health Boot Camp is a new and engaging...
Getting to Optimum Health
There are many books written about overcoming depression and anxiety, most of which are excellent companions to helping us move forward out of these difficult experiences in our lives. However, if we learn to practice proactive habits of self care...
Using Pop Culture to Impact Positive Change – Part 2
Welcome back! In Pop Culture Part 1, I discussed how, when connecting with children/youth, I utilize pop culture to: 1) develop and enhance rapport, and 2) gather information in regard to values, traits and indicators of resiliency. Please go to...
The Problem with Pursuing Your Passion
Christine was a 24 year old university student graduating with a liberal arts degree from a nearby university. She was in a state of anxiety over the need to urgently make decisions regarding her future career. At times her anxiety...
Using Pop Culture to Impact Positive Change
Seven years ago, a colleague and I attended an annual conference in Washington DC called the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium. We were excited about meeting one of the key note speakers, John Gottman, a marriage and relationship researcher and expert whom...
The Gift of Failure
I recently watched a wonderful documentary, The Barkley Marathons, about an ultra endurance trail race that takes place in the Tennessee mountains. Only 40 runners are accepted into the race each year. Covering the entire distance of 160 kilometres (100...
EMDR: A Client and Therapist Perspective
EMDR has been used and researched for 25 years, and is considered a highly effective therapy for resolving trauma. Nevertheless, it remains somewhat mysterious and misunderstood. Written explanations can become jargon filled very quickly. Visual demonstrations of the process can...
Face fears: Walk toward the lion’s roar!
Freud said anxiety is the most frequent psychological symptom, and it’s true: not only are there disorders where anxiety is the main symptom, but virtually all other mental health syndromes include anxiety somehow. Only psychopaths, we’re told, don’t experience normal...
