I’ve had self-compassion on my mind lately. I gave a workshop to a group of foster parents on the topic last week, and have had a couple of profound conversations with colleagues about being compassionate towards ourselves. Self compassion: gives staying power to those in helping professions. It takes a lot of energy to …
Visiting my husband’s wife’s grave
It wasn’t an easy decision for our experience of love after heartbreaking loss being on the national stage in the Globe and Mail. We thought long and hard about sharing this story. The back story of our decision, the picture featured in the article, and another perspective of the same shot, from an entirely different angle: Composting Heartbreak …
Pixar’s Inside Out and the Wisdom of Sadness
Another blog post written by Lindsey Walsh, our newest therapist. Spoiler Alert: This post is about the Wisdom of Sadness and how the Pixar film, Inside Out honours deeper emotions in kids and adults. I’m grateful to my colleagues who are taking on the challenge of writing some blogs, while I take some time “nesting” …
Joy and Sadness: Thoughts on the Inside Out Movie
Therapists love Inside Out, the movie that gives a window into folks’ emotions. It may be a cartoon, but there’s some well respected neuroscience in it, and the movie gives voice to the way we often talk to clients about different parts of themselves. So…we will be hearing from a couple of therapists and their …
Embracing the Internal Discomfort
I went walking with a friend last week at the Forks. There were people skating on the ice in front of the Forks…but nobody was on the ice past the orange pylons and yellow tape. Good thing…because as cold as it was, there was open water on the river. My pal and I walked on …
Mindfulness
Join me in a little experiment? Get comfortable. Shake out your arms and legs. Take a couple of deep breaths. Check to see if your shoulders are relaxed. Breath in and out again slowly. And spend a long minute simply noticing this picture, and also notice what you notice about this picture: What did you …
The Mask of Humor
Robin Williams died last week. A man who made us all laugh. I think this was where I first met Mr. Williams: A man whose movies challenged us to not only laugh but to see how laughter fits in with challenge, and war, with growing up, and loving your kids so much it hurts. Robin …
Hump Day Nudge: Hugs
Hugs save lives…literally… And hugs are good for us: lower depression and anxiety increase immunity decrease blood pressure reduced pain improve quality of marriage and other relationships reduce the effects of stress Hugs take courage. Hugs are best given with permission. Hugs make the world a better place. Hugs create connection…and we are created for …
Depression vs Vitality
I’ve been pondering Andrew Solomon’s exquisite reflections on his own experience with depression. As a writer, he captures the pain and anxiety of depression remarkably. He wraps depression with words to enable those who have depression to feel understood and validated and affirmed. No, you are not crazy, you are not alone, and you definitely …
Hump Day Nudge: Instructions for a Bad Day
Doesn’t everyone have a bad day, at least once in a while? Bookmark this page…have it at the ready to come back to, on one of those days when you’re at the end of your rope, and tying a knot and holding on just seems more than what’s possible. There’s something about his voice, his …