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By: Kelly Graham, MSW, RSW  Most pet owners know that pets aren’t just pets; they are part of the family. But why is that exactly?
As our attachment grows, we often begin to view our animal companion as having an important place within our lives and family dynamic. While our pet can be cute, there is more than just the cuteness factor that makes them play such a large role in our lives. By Kelly Graham, MSW, RSW  *This article primarily uses examples from female on male sexual violence, but the reality of sexual assault is that it applies to all genders, all ages, and all ethnicities.
1 in 6 men will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. While it seems obvious that anybody can be a target of sexual violence, male survivors face a different kind of stigma. Just like with most sexual violence, the survivor knows the perpetrator the majority of the time. Men can be hurt by their partners, friends, parents, teachers or employers, acquaintances, anybody. Just like with mental health, men are more likely to stay silent and not seek help. They may feel embarrassed, ashamed, or fear the response they will get. While many women sadly know the victim-blaming responses that are met with reporting a sexual assault, men face similar ones. People may think that they should’ve stopped it, or that they are “weak" because it happened. They say that they should just “man up" and get over it, without realizing the devastating effects that sexual violence has on a person. By Laura Groulx, MSW, RSW When I think about the concept of body image, my mind associates this concept with women. At first, I wondered if this was the case because I’m a woman myself. It turns out, that all I had to do to validate my association was search “body image” in Google Images, because my screen was instantly filled with photos of women. Go ahead, give it a try! To me, this simple search speaks volumes. However, the odd image of a man did pop up. Notably, one particular photo of a man spoke to me: it’s an image of a man holding up a sign saying “It’s just as hard to be Ken as it is to be Barbie”. This seems so obvious. So true. So why the distortion? Image source: https://www.sbs.com.au/guide/article/2017/06/13/comment-we-need-talk-about-male-body-image
Your partner's choice to be unfaithful was theirs alone, and that decision does not reflect how valuable you are.   A smile goes a long way – not just for other people, but for the person smiling too.   Marianne Wylie, MSW, RSW - being the little ray of sunshine that she is! Sex is so much more than the simple three letter word that it is.   Dog sledding is a unique and amazing experience that helps you challenge and better yourself both physically and mentally.   Boreal Journeys Sled Dog Kennel When we allow ourselves to engage in self-care, we model to others that self-care is healthy, important and does not need to come with guilt.   The decision to stay or to go is not an easy one, and it can feel all-consuming when you are in the middle of making it.   Our relationship with food can have huge effects on the relationship we have with ourselves, and can reflect onto other aspects of our lives in either positive or negative ways.  Digital abuse should be taken as seriously as any other type of abuse.   Avoid the next argument with these simple tips for diffusing a disagreement.   "Even just looking at the raw images on her camera, I saw how amazing I looked. Just me. Laying on a bed in the sunlight. All it took was looking at myself in a different way to see how beautiful I was all along."   How do we know the difference between a rough patch in an otherwise healthy relationship, versus the emergence of toxicity?   You have a right to feel what you feel. You have a right to be loved, respected, and feel in control of your own life. Your partner does too.   The more you practice these skills, the more you find they can help.   “There is more to life than increasing its speed.”– Mahatma Gandhi   Photo by Eberhard Grossgasteiger Experiences, opportunities, resources, supports and values as well as your own self-awareness are important factors in being able to confidently know what career is a good fit for you.  Taking care of ourselves helps our mental, emotional, and physical well-being.   Try this quiz to figure out your attachment style in a relationship.   Life is rarely a perfect balance and is ever changing. Check-in with yourself and see what area could benefit from your attention.   While it may be impossible to try and change them, there are things you can do to help yourself when dealing with them.   |
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Written for you, by local therapists.
OverviewNWO’s source for all things relationships, mental health, wellness, and lifestyle: Kelly Magazine is a mental health outreach initiative created by Kelly Mental Health and supported by Kelly Mental Health Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the community in the area of mental health.
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