No Shades of Grey

No Shades of Grey

When the book, "50 Shades of Grey" came out, it came up a lot in my therapy room-so I read all 3 books so I knew what I was talking about. At first, I didn’t get the hype/phenomenon. But then I did. And what I got really bothered me. This book was about a very confused sense of sex intertwined with some things that all women in some form have experienced-and not healthy things. Stalking, manipulation, advances that were not invited-that sense of not feeling safe...

Do you have a case of the "Winters?" 5 Tips to get through to Spring!

Do you have a case of the "Winters?" 5 Tips to get through to Spring!

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a buzzword around the end of Fall and throughout Winter. Yes, it is a thing. No, it doesn’t effect everyone. It is seasonal and is, for the most part, temporary.

I generally have an issue with labeling. Sometimes labeling can make you feel worse or stigmatized. Sometimes it gives an answer to how you have been feeling. This blog is to address the bleqiness that can come from the Winter months...

Can therapists be friends with their clients?

Can therapists be friends with their clients?

I often like my clients. I like the people they are and see the challenges they face and how they want better for themselves. 

I often also can see myself being friends with many of them! This poses a problem for me to a certain extent. Sure, I am able to keep my professional boundaries as outlined by the ethics of my collage and license. It can be hard to do sometimes though, this is especially the case when treatment is coming to an end...

Torn: Should I be writing about suicide? Self-care, loss and grief

Torn: Should I be writing about suicide? Self-care, loss and grief

With Robin Williams' death and a few other losses I have personally been around lately, death and loss has been on my mind. When I found out 2 days ago that Robin Williams had died of suicide, it really saddened me. I think more because of what he represented as an actor than who he was as a person. Obviously, I never knew him or met him so how could I really know him...

Identity Formation while LGBT

Identity Formation while LGBT

Orange is the New Black is a TV sensation and is, i think, the first time that a show with a transgendered women is not only a main character but also played by someone who is a transgendered woman. So I am including Laverne Cox's "It Get's Better Video" as an addition to this blog today. Her insight and honesty about...

How do you prepare for your first therapy session?

How do you prepare for your first therapy session?

Preparing for your first session of therapy with a new therapist? You don't necessarily need to prepare for a first session but it can help you feel better about going and can help you better communicate the reason you are seeking help.

Many of these questions are things therapists will ask throughout the initial appointment and can make this part go faster to get to the heart...

The power of nonjudgement-Do we ask the right questions to understand others?

The power of nonjudgement-Do we ask the right questions to understand others?

In watching this 1 minute clip from Al-Jazeera's new documentary on abortion, my thoughts when to many of the challenges people are facing due to others dictating change without understanding what they are trying to change. In this video a male lawmaker is asked, "Why would a woman want an abortion?" This was something...

AWKWARD-Are you saying I need friends?

AWKWARD-Are you saying I need friends?

Ok, maybe I do. I moved to Toronto under a year ago and yes, there is a stark reality to making friends as an adult-it can be challenging! It takes effort and I like having people to hang out with and do things with! What to do????

When I moved to Calgary in 2008, same thing, “Where do I make friends?” Thing is-it happens with patience and time-and sometimes...

Is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) right for you?

Is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) right for you?

Yesterday my cat, Calypso, decided that the little food she had left would not last her the night and demanded my attention to it. It was 9:30pm and I was in my comfy clothes, not planning to venture out into the rain for the rest of the night.

I immediately felt annoyed by her overraction. 'Is she serious? She's got plenty to last her until tomorrow evening! Grrrr.'...

Why be a therapist? What inspired me?

Why be a therapist? What inspired me?

My journey to becoming a therapist began with my social activism in undergrad. I thought that I wanted to be a human rights lawyer, was pre-law and had a huge argumentative streak. Little did I know that that my brash streak was what was going to turn me toward therapy. I felt that the system needed to change and still do. I decided that law was not...