​Whether you’ve made a New Year’s Resolution to focus on your wellbeing, or simply feel like now is the right time, you may be contemplating speaking with a therapist. You might have come to this decision easily, or maybe it’s something you have contemplated for a long time. Whatever the reason, sometimes the jump from deciding to speak to someone to scheduling your first appointment can be daunting. You may ask yourself: what is the therapist going to ask me to do? How much should I share about myself? How can I trust a total stranger? What if they judge me? 

Here are some helpful tips and tricks to journaling. 

​Let's face it, raising kids can be a challenge in the best of times. Throw in a global pandemic which brings with it economic impacts, anxiety over the spread of illness, and the isolation that has accompanied the lockdown restrictions and closures, and you have challenges for which the impact on youth and their caregivers is far reaching and not yet fully understood.

Now it is more important than ever to engage in self-care!  During a pandemic it is necessary to care for yourself, before you can help others.  Getting back to the basics is important.

​By: Kelly Halonen, MSW, RSW

​You often see it in movies, the main character is going through a breakup and listens to sad music as they cry into a pillow on their couch. You probably do this too. Whenever you’re feeling sad or down about something, you may listen to music that is also sad or slow. So why do we do this? Wouldn’t this just make us sadder? Yes and no. 

​Women are all too familiar with the symptoms that their menstrual cycle can bring. Often people joke about women being “too sensitive” or “crazy” when it is their time of the month. However, many people can fail to realize just how this can affect a woman’s mental and physical health. 

​Yes! But... is a phrase I hear often. When I hear somebody saying this, especially in counselling, the message I am taking on is this: I hear you and what you’re saying makes sense, but here are the reasons why I cannot take on that perspective myself, followed by that person sharing unbalanced thought patterns and/or barriers to seeing another perspective. 

​Like many other women out there, I have a love-hate relationship with my body. Sometimes I love it, but the majority of the time there is something I want to change about it. Even though we logically know that the expectations society puts on us are unrealistic, we still feel the need to try and live up to them. 

​This phrase, so commonly uttered during therapy sessions can represent weeks, months and even years of misery for some.

By: Kristen Sohlman, MACP, RP

Men’s mental health in the workplace is a difficult and sensitive topic to address. 

​Often after a breakup, you’ll see people cut or dye their hair, get a piercing or tattoo, or change their wardrobe. I, for one, am guilty of all of the above. But why do we do this?

By: Cassandra Nordal, PR & Marketing Coordinator

WIN. You’re probably wondering what I’m talking about. Win what? Communication? A fight? How do I do that? - Let me explain.

​In order to train yourself to become healthier mentally it is not about setting one goal for yourself to accomplish in January.  Instead, train yourself by making a genuine commitment towards self-improvement. 

This season of Grey's Anatomy focuses on various mental health-related issues and topics along with their biggest battle since the loss of Mc Dreamy, the Covid-19 Pandemic. Specifically, we watch Joe struggle during some flashback episodes where EMDR is used to process her complex trauma. So what exactly is EMDR?

​Our mental health and our physical health both affect each other. When one of them is doing poorly, the other can also begin to deteriorate. When we are sick it is important to take care of ourselves not only physically, but mentally as well. ​

​Have you ever tried boxing? I have found that it is a great way to get exercise and benefit my mental health. You can practice with a partner or do it on your own using a punching bag or just punching the air. Boxing can be great for any skill level.

I love talking about mental wellness!

By definition Mental Wellness is the awareness of one’s own ability to cope with stressors of day-to-day life while maintaining the ability to function effectively while socializing, working, learning and taking care of your personal health and hygiene.

​After having endured a challenging or difficult experience such as grief and loss, trauma, an accident, or a significant change in life such as retirement, major illness, or diagnosis of a degenerative disease, one may begin to question:

What is the purpose and value of my life?  Why is this important? ​