A Canadian study conducted through the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine researched the correlation between family dinners, communication and mental health in 26,069 adolescents. They found a positive association between the frequency of family dinners and emotional wellbeing, prosocial behavior and life satisfaction.

Disappointment manifests when our hopes and expectations are not met.   It doesn’t feel good when things don’t go as we envisioned and the passage of time doesn’t always make a difference.  And now here you are at the end of January, wondering why you haven’t been able to get rid of those lingering feelings of disappointment. 

As we start on the 3rd year of this global pandemic, it feels like we are all stuck on a treadmill of doom and gloom. We have survived two years of tremendous uncertainty and upheaval to our way of life. What was supposed to be a short-term problem has become a weird new routine that involves much loss. This is traumatizing.

And we’re back to school…and instead of providing you with a list or structural ideas for what to do, I would like to share a challenge that I equally have challenged myself with during the process of writing this blog, as well as a sort of activity that I’ve been contemplating for the weeks leading up to January.

If you have ever felt butterflies in your stomach or experienced nausea or other digestive issues when anxious, you likely have some idea of how thoughts and emotions can impact the gut.

Our finances can be something that sets off a variety of emotions, but one that might surprise you is that of depression. When you are struggling financially it can become a piece of your identity. And then you add on the fact that we don’t normally go around telling people that we’re struggling financially, and you have a setting for allowing sadness, stress and anxiety about your finances to lead you into depression.

Change is hard. It takes dedication, time and consistency to either develop a new habit or ditch an old one. Set yourself up for success by following these foolproof guidelines for setting “resolutions” that you will actually achieve!

The holiday season is often portrayed as a happy time of celebration, connection, and gratitude. However, like most celebrations, it can be a complex experience for many people, especially if you have experienced loss. While a loss can encompass the death or absence of important people, pets, and relationships in your life, the experience of grief can also be connected to a loss of tradition, closeness, or an imagined future you hold for yourself and others. Holiday grief feels more real and present this year as many of us have been rocked by natural disaster, distance, and the ongoing collective trauma of the pandemic.

There are so many things that have an impact on these feelings of “joy and happiness” such as: the search for that perfect gift; cooking/baking for friends and family; dealing with the your own family dynamics AND the in-laws; missing those special people who have moved away or have passed before us; and, don’t forget the never-ending stress of how much money spent on gifts is enough, and how much is too much? If that list wasn’t long enough, this is Christmas number two coping with the effects of COVID-19! Here are six ways to help you cope with holiday stress.

You do not want to miss out on this delicious, nutrient-packed, festive eggnog pudding that is egg and dairy free and made with…tofu! Unlike the eggnog and pudding you typically find at the grocery store (full of sugar, inflammatory oils, additives, and questionable ingredients), this recipe is made of whole, unprocessed ingredients, is low in sugar and packed with protein, healthy fats and tons of nutrients. It is also one of the simplest dessert recipes you will ever make! It does take a few hours to set though, so be sure to make it in advance.

We’re here to help you find ways to go deeper, feel more connected, and have some successful date nights. Here are 10 different suggestions for date night. Some are free, some are cheap, and some require a bit more effort or money. We hope that they help you find something to inspire you to get out on a date and connect with your spouse in a different way.

Okay, so now that I reminded you of this ‘blah’ weather, and the ‘blah’ mood it may be causing, you’re probably wondering, “But I can’t control the weather, so how am I supposed to make my mood better?” Well basically, it’s about doing more things that make you happy! (I know, that sounds cheesy, but stay with me on this) So there’s these things called “happy hormones” that we all have, but sometimes we have less of these happy hormones, because of things like the ‘blah’ weather, and being stressed from all of the homework that we keep getting.

The sense that anger is bad, dangerous, harmful, or morally wrong seems to come up for a lot of people. Serena Graf shares how anger isn’t necessary a negative emotion.

The idea of gratitude is that it’s not just available to us when everything is going well, but even despite things not going well, we can still feel or embody it. That, to me, feels hopeful. If we had to wait until the choppy seas of life calmed entirely to feel grateful, we may be waiting a long time. Gratitude is a powerful emotion that actually has the ability to change your brain... It’s true!

Before you start counselling work with any practitioner, it is your right to know about the possible risks and benefits of receiving counselling. It’s so important to explore what you can expect, or need to be aware of, in order to set yourself up for success and make an informed decision about whether counselling is right for you.

Practicing different ways of observations can help to see things as they are, and not what they could or should be, and help you move through change.

What’s the connection of our thoughts to our mood/mental health? It’s a bit of a chicken -and -egg debate most people with anxiety/depression symptoms report having negative thoughts. These thoughts can grow from being criticized, bullied, neglected, abused, or any number of kinds of traumas. Jennifer talks about how to understand your negative thoughts.

During our first ever Hiking Therapy Workshop in September, Whitney Regan had the privilege of setting out on a challenging hike with a group of women. The invitation was to allow the hike to serve as a catalyst for identifying their own limiting beliefs. She reflects on that time in this blog.

Staying healthy over the holidays, whether it be Thanksgiving or Christmas, can be challenging. These holidays are typically marked by an abundance of food. While it may not all be unhealthy, it is always plentiful with many indulgences, and is enough to throw your healthy eating habits out the window! While one indulgent meal is not necessarily of concern, it can set you off track.

If you are a university student headed home for the holidays, you may be a bit anxious about what that is going to look like. Whitney Regan shares some practical ways to help you survive coming home again.