I listened to Louis Armstrong’s song, “It’s a Wonderful World” the other day. I love that song…however, how I hear it was forever changed many years ago…and my brain plays a music video in my head when I hear this song, no matter where I am or what’s happening when this song plays: I …
The Reward of Kindness–Joy
Apparently, money can buy happiness. Research has proven it. But it means spending money in different ways than you might expect. Research was done where college aged folks were given money ($5 or $20) to spend on themselves. While they appreciated having some funds to purchase a treat, or pay a bill and, at the …
Connection–why we’re here
It’s the connection that heals This is one of my favorite topics in the world…I counsel people in light of it, I teach it in workshops and sermons and university classes, and to the best of my imperfect ability, I live it. I stumbled across Dr. Brene Brown’s work several years ago, and am so …
Walking with the Pain of Infertility
This week is National Infertility Awareness Week in Canada. Infertility is a special sort of pain… …and it’s often minimized and misunderstood. When a parent has a child who dies, there is a funeral, and public mourning, and a collective grief that surrounds the family. We know as a community that the death of a …
The power of love
I think sometimes moms get caught up in the hoopla of the research of how to stimulate children’s brains, what to feed kids, how much screen time to allow, how to develop math skills, have the children learn a second or third language, how much physical activity/sleep/playdates etc. to have…and forget what is most important …
Prickles as Protection
One of my favorite little people, L, has a hedgehog named Harriet. I’d never been up close and personal with a hedgehog before, and frankly, I won’t need to have this experience often! Hedgehogs are a lot more like porcupines than anything else. Porcupines may have needlesharp quills, whereas hedgehogs have quills that are rather …
Secret sharing
As a therapist, I am likely in a relatively unique position to be an authority on this having witnessed this more times than I can count: The weight of a secret can be staggering. being abused as a child having an alcoholic in the family repeating a grade as a child having an affair …
Hump Day Nudge: The little friendly gestures matter
Last week, after I spoke on the radio, I went to Starbucks to chill a bit…a little self care after a task I still find stressful (does that ever go away?). Ahead of me were a pastor couple from the church I attend…with another couple for a visit. The pastor pulled out his card to …
Hump Day Nudge: Brother inspiring brother
I love this video…which was filmed in 2010 prior to Alexandre Bilodeau’s gold medal in the Olympics that year in Vancouver. He followed it up with yet another gold medal this year again in Sochi. This video highlights the mutual respect and inspiration two brothers have for each other, in a way that inspires both …
Beautiful and Beastly: Thoughts on Social Media – Part 1
I am not fortunate enough to have grandparents who are still around, but I know a handful of people who still do. And every now and then I find myself surprised to see exchanges on Facebook where grandmas and grandpas are responding to status updates, cute photos, or playing Words With Friends against their much …