The Importance of Play
The Importance of Play Play may seem like “kid stuff”, but it is paramount to our well-being. Research by Dr. Stuart Brown found a strong correlation between success and playful activity (interestingly, Dr. Brown’s previous research on murderers illuminated that a lack of play in childhood was a common characteristic in killers’ backgrounds…it seems all […]
The Masks We Wear
Apart from the fun of Hallowe’en and Masquerade, people generally wear masks for protective reasons. Sometimes we mask our emotions because it does not genuinely safe to share with who we are with – we are avoiding feeling judged or being “fixed”. Sometimes masking can occur because we don’t want to burden others. We may […]
Trauma Bonding
TRAUMA BONDING I work with a lot of people who have or are experiencing trauma bonding, and yet many people have never heard of this phenomenon before. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines bonding as: the formation of a close relationship (as between a mother and child or between a person and an animal) especially through frequent […]
ANXIETY: Turning towards pain
ANXIETY: Turning towards pain What if the next time you felt anxious, you chose to accept it? We give a whole lot of energy towards the things we fear. Research shows that anxiety decreases the more one accepts and increases the less one accepts it. Sound difficult to “accept” something that causes you distress? Try […]
The Space Between Stories: Transitioning into a New Phase
The Space Between Stories: Transitioning into a New Phase In the story of our lives, we all have some chapters we’d prefer to skip over. The loss of a loved one, the end of relationship, getting terminated from a job, financial hardship, health limitations, and so forth – these things can all have us wishing […]
Too emotional?
Too emotional? Have you ever been told that you are too emotional or too sensitive? Yep, me too. There is a socially popular belief that suggests emotions are “silly”, irrational, or a sign of weakness. There is an assumption present that “emotion” is on the opposite end of the “intellect” spectrum (a personal aside: I […]
Broken OPEN
Broken OPEN There is something profoundly beautiful within us all that I refer to as the Essence of the Soul. We connect with our Soul when we can listen and respond to our intuition. We ALL have intuition, or “internal knowingness”, as I like to refer to it as. Oftentimes we are not connected […]
Boundaries
Boundaries A boundary is any limit you set as a means of honouring your own well-being so you can live, love, and work with integrity and without resentment. Everyone’s boundaries differ, and boundaries are subject to change – you might have once felt comfortable giving to another without resentment, but your circumstances might have altered, […]
Sympathy, Empathy, Compassion: Understanding the Differences
Sympathy, Empathy, Compassion: Understanding the Differences It is a common misperception that sympathy, empathy, and compassion express the same thing. However, there are important distinctions – ones that can have negative implications for others and well as for yourself. Below is a breakdown of those differences and implications. SYMPATHY: Feeling “sorry” for another’s pain/hurt. Sympathy […]
“Measuring Up”
“Measuring Up” “Measuring Up” is a terrible title for a blog. My guess is that it may have provoked feelings of unworthiness, of NOT measuring up. I feel that when I read it aloud. Creating goals and striving for better ways is generally good for us. What can be a slippery slope, is when our […]
