2020 was a hard year. Many people are relieved to see it come to an end. As we begin a new year, we want to hold the hope for better days ahead. Instead of the typical New Year’s resolutions that are typical for the kick-off of a new year, I encourage you to instead...
New Year’s resolutions are tricky business. They are obligations we put on ourselves to behave. And research shows they are not effective. By February more than 80% of people have abandoned their resolutions. And subsequently, they feel a sense of failure. What Is a...
This will be a unique holiday season. Navigating the holidays during a pandemic creates a challenge we have never faced. You may feel a heaviness in your heart as you consider time honoured traditions that will need to be adapted or perhaps even cancelled. Feeling...
Hope is an emotional state that promotes the belief in a positive outcome. Clearly, we need hope, especially in our current world. Can hope really make a difference? The answer is YES. There is increasing evidence that hope changes us psychologically and...
We are a nation of tired people. Many adults suffer from some type of sleep problem – too little sleep, broken sleep or poor quality sleep – leaving us exhausted. The impacts of poor sleep are significant: Increased irritability Reduced pain threshold Poor...
Start using this strategy now! Having a baby is hard work. If you have recently given birth, you know this to be true. You are likely exhausted in a way you could have never imagined. We are not talking about being tired – we are talking about a level of exhaustion...
Giving thanks can make you happier. But like any other healthy habits, even though it is good for us, it can be hard to practice consistently. Why is gratitude so hard to practice? If we are being honest, it is easy to focus on what we don’t have, our problems and the...
As many staff and students have returned to school – a roller coaster of emotions may be experienced. Excitement, anxiety, anticipation, or perhaps even fear. For some, the decision to return was a choice made freely, while for others it was borne out of necessity. If...
Creating good strong relationships can be hard work – even under the best of circumstances. But when you factor in an experience of childhood emotional neglect – it can feel impossible. Sadly, adults who experienced childhood emotional neglect did not get what they...
Do you struggle with feeling hopeless or helpless? It is impossible to have a positive sense of wellbeing if you are plagued with feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. It is important to recognize that there are steps you can take to improve how you feel creating...
When it comes to self-esteem, only one opinion matters – your own. And even that one should be carefully evaluated as we tend to be our own harshest critic. There are three simple questions every person should ask themselves when evaluating how they feel about their...
Trauma is the experience of severe psychological distress following a traumatic or life-threatening event. It may be a one-time powerful incident such as an accident, an illness, an assault or rape, or exposure to a catastrophic event. Or it could be repeated exposure...