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 …
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 …
Beliebers reflect all of us
So…I’m directionally challenged. The GPS is my best friend in a new city, and even with it, I don’t always get to my destination the first time. I’m not proud of that, but it is what it is, and so I’ve learned to be patient with myself, and allow for extra time. This summer, I …
Hump Day Nudge: Expressed Gratitude
This video makes my face confused…as I watch the folks express their gratitude to someone who has impacted them significantly: my face smiles at the joy of those sharing their gratitude and my eyes tear up at the sheer poignancy of how moving it is to watch that My face hurt at the crying muscles …
Men making friends
Guys have a lot of fun together. Guys enjoy each other’s company. Guys eat, drink, burp and so much more with each other. But are they friends? A friend is someone you share mutual affection with. A confidant. Intimacy is a part of friendship. In our culture, too often authentic, meaningful friendship has been feminized. …
Grab a ladder: Empathy vs. Sympathy
Lovin’ this new video from Brené Brown…for a little primer on the difference between empathy and sympathy take a peek! It’s good to know the difference…it’s good to know that empathy enhances connection, and sympathy creates distance. It’s good to have a couple of “good to go” empathic lines, for times when you just don’t …