Welcome to Our Mental Health & Wellness Blog
Our blog provides articles on mental health, therapy, emotional wellness, stress management, relationships, anxiety, depression, trauma, and personal growth. Our goal is to offer educational resources that help you better understand your mental health and support your overall well-being.
The information shared on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, psychotherapy, counseling, or treatment from a licensed healthcare professional. Reading this blog does not create a therapist-client relationship.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please call 911 or visit your nearest hospital or emergency department immediately.
If you are considering therapy or would like professional support for your mental health, we invite you to contact us to schedule a free phone consultation and learn more about our counseling services.
The Misuse of Therapy Language
Embracing Therapy as a Path to Healing and Wellness
Do I have ADHD? The Problem with Self-Diagnosis via Social Media
CHASING HAPPINESS
During sessions I will regularly ask clients about what brought them to my office and so many times I get a response that is along the lines of “I just want to be happy”. That is an understandable desire. A wish to simply to be happy. Many of us believe that once we figure out the secret to being happy no matter what then we will no longer experience any pain and suffering. For those who have experienced significant pain in their lives, I can completely understand the pursuit to chase eternal happiness.
YOUR FEELING ARE VALID!
Our emotions guide us through life and when we learn to trust our emotions we have a better sense of self and we are better able to navigate challenges. It is an important skill to learn to validate our own emotions, and this is something that so many people have a hard time with. Think about a time you told yourself that you were overacting or that your being “silly” for getting upset or angry. We often berate ourselves and put ourselves down when we experience challenging and distressing emotions. We can also invalidate positive emotions, which tends to happen when we have a core belief that we do not deserve to feel good or we are not worthy of positive things.
WHAT’S YOUR SPARK? – A THERAPISTS REFLECTION ON PIXAR’S SOUL
As a therapist, I see mental health everywhere. I can’t help it, it’s pretty much automatic at this point. I recently watched Pixar’s SOUL and I absolutely loved it because the main character Joe and his journey through the movie speaks to the lived experience of so many people. There were so many parts of the movie that stood out to me and how much they embodied the human experience. If you haven’t watched the movie…. spoilers ahead!
PANDEMIC BURNOUT
It’s been a year. A whole damn year. WTF.
I’m tried. Are you tired? Of course, you are, we all are. Everyone is drained. Every single person across the globe has been impacted by this pandemic. Some have lost family and friends to the virus, other have lost their livelihood, homes, and important milestones. No one has been left unscathed. Some have been impacted more severely than others and the lockdown rules highlight inequality in our society. We have been forced to face several harsh truths. We have had little to no reprieve from this harsh reality, so it is such a shock that we are al burnt out?
LESSONS ON ACCEPTANCE FROM THE LION KING
Hakuna Matata
What a wonderful phrase
Hakuna Matata
Ain’t no passing craze
It means no worries
For the rest of your days
It’s our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata
HEY BELL! WE NEED TO TALK
On January 28th, it was “Bell Let’s Talk” Day, and in the past we have posted about how Bell was a trailblazer in bringing attention to the reality of mental health and destigmatizing mental illness. Well this year, Bell, we are going to have a different conversation. We are going to talk about YOU and some glaring issues that need to be addressed. I have talked a bit about systemic oppression, discrimination, and racism, and Bell, seriously, we need to talk.
IT'S OK TO QUIT
There are times where I know that I have given something my all. I’ve done everything I can to try to make it work, to get better, and to succeed and yet I am still met with failure at the end of it all. I want to quit with every fiber of my being, but I don’t, because we have been taught that quitting is akin to losing. That it is a sign of weakness to quit and if we just keep trying then we will eventually reach our goal. At least that is what every self-help book I read seems to be preaching to me. I’m not a huge fan of self-help books and one of the reasons is this “NO QUITTING” attitude. Sometimes it is okay to give yourself to permission to quit. It is healthy even.
PRIDE MONTH
June marks the celebration of Pride in Canada, a time of the month to honor the history and adversities that LGBTQ individuals have faced, as well as to celebrate the courage and diversity of the LGBTQ community. This year many in the LGBTQ community have choosen to show solidarity by forgoing Pride celebrations to instead protest the injustices faced by the Black people in our community. Many people may not be aware but Pride was started by Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman who of was one of the activists who lead the 1969 Stonewall riots. The protests began in 1969 when the police raided the New York City Stonewall Inn in 1969. Homosexuality was illegal in most states and business could be shut down if employees or patrons were gay. Stonewall Inn was a known refuge for the LGBTQ community back then. After the raid the community decided to push back and protested, with Johnson playing a key role.
NATIONAL INDIGENOUS DAY
On June 21st is an incredibly important day to celebrate Indigenous culture, language and history. It is also a day to acknowledged the injustice the Indigenous people have faced and continue to face in Canada. This past month we have seen people come together to speak out against the systemic oppression and injustice’s that Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, face in our communities, both locally and nationally.
BLACK LIVES MATTER AND WE CANNOT FORGET
This needs to be repeated. Over and over again. For as long as racism continues to oppress and dehumanize the lives of black people, we will keep saying “Black Lives Matter”, because we clearly need this reminder. The murder of George Floyd sparked a movement that shouldn’t be needed. He did not need to die, but he did because we have kept our heads in the sand for far too long. As a brown woman of colour, I know what it is like to be judged by my appearance but I will never know what it is like to be a black person in North America. Some people may feel that because we live in Canada we are immune from racism. We are all equal here, right? Unfortunately, that is far from the reality, and the sooner we come to terms with that, the sooner we can make real change. Black people in Toronto are 20 times more likely to be shot DEAD by the police. The Black community makes up 3.4% of Canada’s population and 9% of police fatalities. And we don’t just oppress Black people Canada, we also bring down the Indigenous community. Indigenous people make up 4.8% of Canada’s population and 15% of police fatalities. The protests this weekend are cry of anger from a community that is tired. Tired of being pushed down and ignored. We can and must do better.
POVERTY AND MENTAL HEALTH
The link between poverty and mental health is complex and it can be tough to tackle one without addressing the other. Individuals with mental illness often live in poverty and conversely those who live in poverty are more susceptible to developing mental health issues. As we have written many times before, mental illness is something that will impact most people at some point. One in five Canadians will be impacted by mental health in their lifetimes.
THE TOXIC HUSTLE CULTURE
In popular culture, the “grind” lifestyle is gaining popularity and it’s having a detrimental impact on the working population. Hustle culture seems to have gained traction for a large section of millennials (but that doesn’t mean that those outside of that generation aren’t vulnerable). These days, the idea of a work/lifebalance is sometimes viewed as “lazy” and the desired work ethic is one of a “24/7 hustle” or “go big and don’t go home”. Stay at work as late as possible and come in earlier than anyone else. Far from any idea of a balance.
THE NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE AND ACTION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
December 06th is The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, which is also the anniversary of the 1989 Ecole Polytechnique massacre. This year marks the 30th anniversary of that tragic day. This is a day to honor and remember those who have been the victims of gender-based violence. In Canada, a woman is killed every 2.5 days, with over half killed by a current of former partner. Women, young girls, and LGBTQ2S individuals are at a higher risk to be the victim of violence, which in turn impacts their ability to engage with their life goals and desires, as they are now forced to deal with the very real physical and mental health challenges that come with being the victim of violence.
THE JOKER AND MENTAL ILLNESS
Warning: Minor spoilers ahead!
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the movie, Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character. Many of the complaints around the movie center around the violence carried out by the main character, Arthur Fleck, as he goes through a series of events that eventually lead to him becoming The Joker. As I was watching this movie, it was hard not to view it through a mental health lens (it’s my bias).
WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY
Today is World Mental Health Day. A day dedicated to bringing awareness to the very real suffering experienced by millions of people struggling with mental health illness. The world is not always a pleasant place, and people are faced with a whole host of difficulties. The news is a stream of negativity focused on the war and violence that people are experiencing in their homes, schools, and businesses. Whether its news about another shooting, the ever present concern of climate change, or the corruption of those in political office, it can leave anyone feeling upset, hopeless and despondent. Our youth are experiencing higher and higher levels of anxiety, due in part to the rise in social media and technology use. Cyber bullying makes it almost impossible for youth to escape from the taunting and cruelty of their victimizers. Suicide and substance abuse numbers have also seen a rise. Mental health illness is not going away and is becoming an every growing issue. Yet it is often dismissed or minimized.
MYTHS ABOUT SUICIDE
Suicide is something that has affected us all in one way or another. We may know people who have been impacted by suicide or know someone who has died by suicide. Suicide can be difficult to talk about but that does not mean we should avoid the topic. It is a global health issue and it isn’t isolated to a single community, culture, or country. According to statistics Canada 4157 Canadian died by suicide in 2017. In a recent news release by The World Health Organization (WHO), it was stated that one person dies every 40 seconds from suicide. Based on this staggering statistic, WHO is launching the “40 Seconds of Action” initiative in an effort to increase awareness of the significance of suicide as a global public health problem. This will coincide with World Mental Health Day, which takes place on Oct 10, 2019. You can find out more information about it here: https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2019/10/10/default-calendar/world-mental-health-day-2019-focus-on-suicide-prevention
LOOKING AFTER OUR MENTAL HEALTH DURING THE COLD WINTER MONTHS
With the arrival of snow and cold weather in the Toronto area a lot of people begin to stay inside. They may see their friends less often and choose to stay inside and veg out watching T.V. instead of heading to the gym. If this behaviour becomes a pattern it has the potential to have a negative effect on our mental health. Isolation combined with a lack of physical activity can lead to an increase in depressive and anxious symptoms, especially for those who are susceptible to mental health disorders.