What is a boundary? Well, there are probably lots of ways to understand boundaries, for all kinds of contexts. In counselling, when we are looking at interpersonal boundaries, we define them simply as “what is OK and what is not OK”. That means personal boundaries might be different for different people? Absolutely. Ever have …
Thunderstorms, Control, and starting therapy?
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve hated thunderstorms. Dreaded them, actually. I would always anxiously await their ending. I remember on more than one occasion trying to hurry to bed when I knew one was rolling in at night, hoping that maybe, just maybe, I’d sleep through it. And if that didn’t work, well …
Top 10 Skills of Healthy Relationships: #10 Be the change
Check in weekly for Lindsey’s top 10 list…we will intersperse this series with other thoughts from therapists…tune in next week for #9. I’ve made a list of Ten Foundations of Meaningful Relationships I’ll be sharing these here over the next 10 weeks. If you want something (or someone) to change, begin by being that change …
Micro-Losses
I’m pretty new to the Instagram game. Really, I’m kind of new to the whole technology world in general. Our family with without a cellphone until late 2014 and so I didn’t really see the need to participate in the social media frenzy. I don’t tweet, I’m not on Pinterest (minus the week I was, …
Curiosity Vs Fear
My Friday commutes downtown are some of my favorite times of the week. It is not often that I get 25 or so minutes to sit and slow with only one sort of mindless task on the go. Not that driving is exactly mindless, but it sure requires a different level of engagement than the …
Faithful…
Another of our therapists, Gail Shaver, is new to the blog today. Gail works a lot with couples. And a lot of couples come to us in crisis situations because of infidelity. Gail witnesses the anguish and anxiety results from an affair…and helps couples deal with the resultant carnage. Believe me, when you have seen …
Experiencing the Roots of Empathy
Question: What does a relationship therapist do when she is on maternity leave? Answer: She takes her baby to volunteer at an elementary school to help youngsters learn about empathy and emotions! Over the last 10 months I have been taking my daughter to visit a grade 4-5 split classroom in the Seine River School Division as …
Dear Car: Your Groom-Son
Dear Car, This week, your son gets married. While you have become much more a part of my life since I married your Husband, never more have you been in my/our thoughts than in the last several weeks. You are missed always, and these days especially. A week or so ago, your son and his …
Embracing Limitations: Leia the tripod dog
With our renaming to Conexus Counselling, Carolyn’s blog has become much more “our” blog. Expect to see other therapists’ thoughts here. Today, Deanna Carpentier gives us a valuable perspective! I never really thought much about getting a dog. I knew my husband wanted one – I mean really, really wanted one – but I wasn’t …
Grieving Choices
We make choices every day. All sorts of choices. We choose: cereal over toast, the red shirt over the floral print, the comedy over the dark drama, and for me— I always seem to choose the slow lane at the grocery store. Choice is everywhere. What I’m coming to realize more and more is that …