According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada (January 2015), stress and stress-related illnesses are on the rise. Stress is so commonplace in our fast-paced society that it seems like a way of life for many. Individuals, workplaces, and society as a whole are paying a high price for unmanaged stress. Stress can hit when we least expect it. It … Read More

There are many ways to increase health in our lives. Seeing a counsellor can play a unique role in your overall wellness plan. I recently heard someone liken going to counselling both to going to the doctor’s office and to taking a class. Counselling has the unique capacity to help relieve negative symptoms by addressing something that is already going … Read More

The transition to September is right around the corner. For many of us, September holds the same “fresh start” mentality as New Year’s Eve – without the champagne and snow! As someone who was a student for many years of my life, and who for the past 12 years has been ushering children through the back to school routine, I … Read More

A large portion of our time is spent in conversation with others. Regardless of our familiarity with the other person or the purpose for the discussion, it can sometimes be difficult to achieve clarity and understanding across both parties. Perhaps this is why difficulty communicating is one of the top complaints of those seeking therapy. Some clients, for example, express … Read More

Are there ever times when your self-talk is particularly negative? Maybe you’ve been “shoulding” more than usual (“I should go to the gym,” “I should spend more time with my kids,” and so on), or maybe you have a bad case of “stinkin’ thinkin’” and your inner critic has been particularly harsh lately (“I’m such a loser,” “I always mess … Read More

I know I’m not the only one who has written a letter to someone who has hurt or betrayed me. During a turbulent, difficult time early in my career, I had a conflict with my supervisor and decided to write a letter. I expressed my frustrated, blame-filled thoughts, my miserable and fearful emotions, and described how I was hurt. Although … Read More

Coping with the lightning-fast pace of modern society, the steady stream of bad news in the media, constant to-do lists that are never done, and the encroachment of technology which keeps us plugged-in every moment of every day inevitably comes up on a daily basis in my work. Recently, I shared a story with my colleagues about being so busy … Read More

A friend recently had a house fire. She forgot a pot of soup broth on the stove. Her last memory was of the broth gently boiling. Hours later she returned to find her home filled with black smoke. The family has since moved into a hotel and the house is in the process of being steamed and scrubbed. Ever optimistic … Read More

A couple of years ago we were on vacation and our flight home was cancelled. As a result, we were transported to a resort for the night, along with several hundred other passengers. The airline told us we would be taken back to the airport the next morning and given unlimited food and drink. It wasn’t convenient, but it wasn’t … Read More

Atlantic Canada, where I live, is occasionally hammered by snow storms. Weather reporters urge us to stock up on “Storm Chips”. Storm coming? Better get my chips! We are all cozied up indoors, waiting to shovel our way out to the world again. As Ms. Domet put it, “Self control is at an all-time low with stormchips…. You can’t be … Read More