With Thanksgiving this weekend and Christmas right around the corner it seemed timely to write about strategies to cope with the dreaded family dinner. Is the holiday season one filled with joyful anticipation or complete dread?  Do you like to get together with family?  Is the upcoming holiday season going to be challenging for you? … Read more

Sadness Can Lead to Suicidal Ideation… We all have days when we are feeling sad, but for individuals who suffer from depression and/or other mental health problems, sadness can sometimes lead to suicidal ideation and a plan or attempt to take their own life. What To Do During a Suicidal Crisis… It is particularly important … Read more

While listening to the radio, CBC highlighted a new resource for students who are headed off to university or college this fall. This resource entitled, From Surviving to Thriving: Developing Personal and Academic Resilience is aimed at  helping first year students adjust. Last Friday (August 16), CBC focused on the suicide prevention aspects of the … Read more

How to Support a Friend or Loved One Who Has Been Sexually Abused as a Child… You are stunned. Maybe a little scared. You don’t know what to say, but know that you need to say something. A friend or a family member has just disclosed that they were sexually abused as a child. How … Read more

Every time someone makes the decision to ask for help from a Psychotherapist or Personal Counsellor and walks into my office, it takes courage. Courage to show up. Courage to open up. Courage to be real. Courage to be vulnerable. Courage to take steps towards healing.   Famous research professor and author, Brené Brown has … Read more