5 Steps to Sit with Your Emotions

When something upsets you, how do you deal with it? Do you tell yourself things like, “I don’t let it bother me”, “let’s just move past it”, or “it is what it is” Maybe you ignore it and try to pretend it didn’t happen. Or you distract yourself with tv/video games/social media, other tasks, or […]

Excessive Worry and What to do About it

A Worry Story You are sitting at the dinner table having spaghetti with a family member. The person across from you is describing a funny incident from their day as you take a bite of a tomato-sauce-covered meatball (or veggie ball, if you prefer).  A tangy aroma wafts upward from your plate.  But you barely […]

Overcoming Your Negative Thoughts in Relationships

Do your negative thoughts create self-fulfilling prophecies in your relationship? Do you often think of the worst-case scenario that causes unnecessary worry? You are not alone in this. The human brain is designed to look out for danger and protect itself. Negative thinking is our default setting. Because of this evolutionary design, our negativity bias […]

How to Feel Good about Making Decisions!

When was the last time you made a decision? Did you feel good about it? Clicking on this article to read was a decision you just made. Why did you click the link? Why did you start reading? We make decisions all the time, some feel bigger than others, some feel more difficult than others, […]

How to Choose the Right Therapist

Written By: Albert Kwok, MEd, Registered Clinical Counsellor Recently, I’ve had some new potential clients wanting to chat and see if we’d be a good fit for counselling. These conversations typically offer a chance for you to ask any questions about your potential counsellor’s experience, qualifications, and more importantly, to see if you feel safe […]

Sleep 101: Exploring the Power of Sleep

Does sleep feel elusive at times? Do you remember the last time you woke up feeling refreshed and ready to start your day?  There is a sleep deprivation epidemic happening in our society. Research indicates that two thirds of adults in developing countries do not get the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night (National […]

Is Couples Counselling Right for Us?

How do you know if you and your partner need couples counselling? How does it help and what does it entail?  I get asked this question a lot. Just you asking this question tells me that you’ve considered couples counselling because the problems you are experiencing are beyond you, and you need outside help.  The […]

Gratitude: Does It Live Up To The Hype?

Have you ever wondered if the claims about gratitude are exaggerated? Can gratitude really help your physical and emotional wellbeing? Well, it depends.  Do you implement gratitude daily? How do you interpret the small kindness others show you? If the answer is a resounding yes, then the claims are true. Studies have consistently found that […]

How To Recover from Psychological Trauma

How do you know if you’ve experienced psychological trauma?  What exactly is it?  The word “trauma” has been tossed around somewhat casually by the general population as an expression of feeling scared or startled (e.g., “OMG, you totally traumatized me”), or having a negative experience (e.g., “that was so traumatizing”).   With the word “trauma” […]

How Self-Compassion Can Help with Self-Criticism, Low Self-Worth, and Shame

Many of my clients come from families where they were regularly criticized or shamed for doing something that their parents deemed “wrong” or “bad”. Parents would often explain that criticizing or shaming was how they “taught” their children to do better in life and not make the same mistakes.  Unfortunately, parents have been misguided in […]