Blog
Why Should I Forgive?
An ancient saying says, "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face." This is a warning to people not to act out in anger or resentment because you only end up harming yourself. Over time, these resentments can build until the individual develops feelings of...
Am I Sad or Depressed?
Every one of us will experience sadness in our lifetime. It is entirely normal and natural. But some people feel something more profound and overwhelming than sadness. They may feel this way despite nothing difficult happening. So how can we tell the difference...
Effect of Child Abuse on Adult Experiences
Each year in this country, thousands of children are the victims of child abuse by parents, guardians, and other adults. Whether this abuse is physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional, it can leave scars on their heart and psyche for many years. Here are just some of...
How To Know You Are Dealing With A Narcissist
Often we think we know what narcissism looks like. After all, aren't most politicians and Hollywood A-listers narcissists projecting their massive egos onto the world? While that may be true, narcissists come in all shapes and sizes. They walk among us, some of them...
Romantic Love versus Lasting Connection and Bonding
Dr. Sue Johnson, the founder of Emotionally Focused Therapy (the approach I use), wrote in her book Hold Me Tight, “Love has an immense ability to help heal the devastating wounds that life sometimes deals us. Love also enhances our sense of connection to the larger...
Couples Counselling
Couples Counselling: How to Regulate During Difficult Conversations During difficult conversations, it's common for us to become triggered by something our partner has said. We can feel calm one moment, but the next, we are thrown into "fight or flight" mode, our...
Emotional Abuse and Relationships
Emotional abuse is not as easy to spot as physical abuse, but often its effects can be just as traumatic. Emotional abuse can involve many tactics, including gaslighting, shaming, and manipulation, leaving the person at the receiving end feeling confused, powerless,...
Relationship Therapy and Neurodivergence
Many neurodivergent clients I work with have shared with me that the idea of dating too them is terrifying. Often there are feelings of nervousness about holding their own in a conversation with someone they've just met, and they can find small talk very stressful. In...
Finding Yourself in Relationship
When we first fall in love with that special someone, we want to spend all our time together. We feel better when we are with our significant other. This is the infatuation stage, and admittedly, it feels terrific. But enduring relationships move past this stage and...
How Do We Keep The Spark Alive?
When you build a fire, whether to warm your home or add ambience on a cold winter night, it is vital to tend the fire to keep it going. Relationships are the same. Beginning with that initial spark, we need to tend to it to keep the heat. Many couples are ready to...
When is it time to ask for help?
Depression and anxiety are complex and vary widely between individuals. Therefore, recognising situational discomfort that will shift through time and something more serious requiring professional support can be challenging. To get the measure of a mental health...
Five Tips To Support Your Relationship During Holidays Times
The holidays shouldn't be a demanding time, but often they are. Below are some tips to help support you. Take the pressure off yourself. We're bombarded with images of the 'perfect' gathering. We can feel this is what we are expected to achieve – but it's essential to...
I have been betrayed, should I stay or go?
Betrayal brings unbearable pain, but research shows a relationship can heal. Affairs can teach us a lot about our relationships and who we are. They offer a unique peek into our experiences, coping mechanisms and belief systems. An affair does not need to mean a...
Introducing Neurodiversity
When we speak about human behaviour or ways of being in the world, we have traditionally described someone as having normal or abnormal behaviour. But, recently, specialists have begun to look at things in a broader, more inclusive way. What Does Neurodivergent Mean?...
Stress and the Body
The saying goes, "Into every life, a little rain must fall." Stress is like rain. A little of it can be a good thing. But too much can cause havoc and devastation. Our bodies are designed to handle a little bit of acute or sudden stress. But when stress is prolonged...