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The Yoga of Mental Health, the Mental Health of Yoga

September 12th, 2022

This post is a reflection and information sharing on the interconnections between the practice of mental health therapy and counselling, and the 8-limbed practice of modern yoga. This article is for people interested in Self-development and personal/collective evolution. Therapists and clients, and the general public, may find this an enriching read. Yoga teachers and practitioners may find it supportive of contextualizing and affirming modern western practices. The hope is that at bare minimum, the article is an opening which inspires further study and a broadening of perspective.

Emotional Boundaries

I often hear my clients say, “I can’t trust my decision making.” When I hear this, I start to ask them questions about what boundaries looked like in their family growing up, such as, “were you more on the strict/oppressive end of the spectrum where family members were controlled and dependence was promoted, or were you more on the empowering/relaxed end of the spectrum, where individuals were given freedom and independence, and growth was promoted within your family?”

Guilt vs Shame: How to Tell them Apart

July 28th, 2022

As a therapist, I often work with clients who struggle with guilt or shame. Although we might use shame and guilt interchangeably when we speak , there are some important distinctions between the two. Learning about the distinction between guilt and shame is an important part of our healing journey since it helps us to label our feelings more accurately and hopefully change some of our unhealthy beliefs about ourselves.

The Quick Fix for Mental Health

June 18th, 2022
In: Anxiety

When I started reading about psychology, I was ravenous to “figure everything out”. I could not get enough of learning about our patterns, how to deal with emotions, and to find out how normal I was. I read voraciously for years, believing that if only I had a sense of mastery over my struggles and how to communicate with others effectively, that I would resolve my sense of internal shame.

Understanding Grief

June 18th, 2022

If you or a loved one are suffering from grief, it’s helpful to have an understanding of what to expect. Having understood grief better, it is helpful to have some ways of coping with it or supporting another to cope with it as best as you can. What experiences does grief involve?

The Antidote for Perfectionism

June 16th, 2022

The challenge of being seen is that in order to be seen, we need to show our true, messy selves. The self that we aren’t sure others would find acceptable, the one we tell ourselves others might reject or dismiss would need to be shown.

Three Core Beliefs Caused by Neglect and How It Shows Up Later in Life

May 10th, 2022
In: Trauma

  Three Core Beliefs Caused by Neglect and How It Shows Up Later in Life Being neglected is a very painful and traumatic experience for a child. As human beings, we have brains that are wired to receive love, connection and nurturing from our caregivers when we come into this world. When our caregivers do not respond to our physical and emotional needs, the alarm system in our brain goes off ,which often leads to depression and anxiety later in life. Different Forms of Neglect:

The Paradox of Allowing Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression can often feel like a battle. There may be thoughts that “it shouldn’t be happening” or that “you should be able to overcome this”. Ongoing anxiety and depression trigger natural responses to fight, escape or give up - but none of these responses seem to work. In fact, these responses keep anxiety and depression in place. There is another option that brings you back into your power - allowing. The battle ends when depression and anxiety are no longer seen as a battle. 

Giving Honest Advice to a Friend About Their Relationship Difficulties

April 6th, 2022

People often turn to their friends for support with difficulties in their romantic relationship and bluntly ask for their opinion. Rarely, if ever, does any good come from providing candid opinions about others’ relationships – particularly when the stakes are high (if they’ve been together for a long time or have children, for example). Some of the difficult-category questions we receive may range from ‘do you like my partner’ to ‘should I stay with them’ or ‘do you think they are cheating?’.

8 TIPS FOR SUCCESS WITH ONLINE LEARNING

March 31st, 2022

So you or someone you love is a student working online….at the clinic we find that students have been hit pretty hard with mental health challenges since the pandemic including increased anxiety, loneliness, and even hopelessness. It’s been hard to adapt to online learning and stay inspired!

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