On the anniversary: A letter to myself on my wedding day all those years ago. It's not gonna work out, but you will be okay.

To my younger to-be-divorced-one-day-self on your wedding day

Dear Carolyn-bride, You didn’t know me all those years ago at 22—but you would have known I would be coming one day. I’ve been thinking a lot about you. This is a momentous anniversary of something now gone, and so I’ve been thinking about you more than usual in the last couple of days. Today …

Top blogs of 2018 on Conexus Counselling blog

Top 10 viewed Conexus articles of 2018

I looked at the analytics for the blog this year and noticed the top 10 most viewed articles on the Conexus website, and I thought I would share them with you.  Some were written in years past, but continue to be widely read. Some were written this year. I write articles that help the things …

Choose joy photo on photo with Christmas pledge printable-- self kindness at Christmas

Self Kindness at Christmas

The holiday season can be a difficult time…in our rush to make it “perfect” for our loved ones, we run ourselves ragged trying to get everything ready, and start trashing ourselves for not doing it right, or not doing enough…and ironically, as we get stressed out, it affects the experience of those around us…sabotaging the …

one of the definitive moments in my life was realizing that most of us are brave and afraid in the exact same moment all day long. Brené Brown quote on picture of a woman on an adventure platform. On blog about feeling big and different feelings: nevertheless

Nevertheless…you got this

I posted a picture last week, the day before school started on Facebook: I wanted to encourage the students, the teachers, and everyone else that was and is starting something new and exciting and terrifying and wonderful and nervewracking. Hal Anderson read it and got choked up.  It touched on the part of him that …

Snickers is Huband's favorte...and I didn't know. It reminded me about being deligent about the love map I have for Husband. Snickers bar on wood background

Snickers and Love Maps

This idea is part of a book I’ve written about couples…men and women each doing the best they can–and having a resource to do even better. If you like this blog, you may want to buy the whole book! Husband and I have been married for over 3 years. I thought I knew Husband. I found …

Thank you to Humboldt. For showing up in your grief. You taught us much. ON poster of man curled up in grief with Broncos logo in the bottom corner

To the people of Humboldt

Dear folks of Humboldt, As a therapist, I’m a person who has the tender, holy privilege and responsibility of sitting with people in the darkest circumstances of their lives. I want to acknowledge the gift you have been to all of us Canadians–even the world. Your community has let us in on your grief and pain after …

Carolyn's Mistake. A blog about what I decided to do about a big expensive mistake I made.

A Mistake?

As I was going to bed on a Friday night a few weeks ago, it was quiet, and my mind lazily drifted back over the day. My mind went back to an email I had received earlier in the day, outlining next week’s schedule for Courage Camp, a conference for Certified Daring Way Facilitators.  I love delivering …