Betrayal Trauma: The phrase “betrayal trauma” can be used to refer to a kind of trauma independent of the reaction to the trauma. From Freyd (2008): Betrayal trauma occurs when the people or institutions on which a person depends for survival significantly violate that person’ s trust or well-being: Childhood physical, emotional, or sexual abuse …
I sometimes wonder what brings people to my page, what is it that burns inside that they would like answers to. Sometimes I find out and begin to work with clients on a journey of self-discovery. Sometimes I never find out. What I know is that choosing a therapist/counsellor is a big decision. It is something …
It can be hard to know when to talk about a painful experience that’s happened to you. It can feel like the wrong time – all the time. It can also be unclear to figure out who’s the right person to talk to. As you move along a path of healing, you may start to …
So are you over it yet?The culture of mental health and healing is ubiquitous. Jump on Instagram or Google and search “therapy” or “healing” and countless posts will come up (maybe even one of mine!) about things you can do to feel better. Many of these concepts are useful, sometimes just the thing you need to …
“Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes.” – Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The Phoenix symbol acknowledges the sometimes dramatic and violent nature of growth, as it “bursts” into flames and falls into ashes. And then there is rebirth. It is a …
When we think of grief we often thing of the big stuff – losing someone we love to death, the dissolution of a marriage, or getting a serious medical diagnosis. But we rarely talk about everyday grief. An example is grief that can be experienced by divorced parents weekly when they drop their child off at …
I had a little thought experiment during the lean times of the COVID-19 shutdown, when most places were closed and the most exciting thing to do was shop at the grocery store. It was – and in some places – still is a time of great uncertainty as many of us worry about our health, …
Life is like the ocean; we, the surfers; the surfboards, our lives. Sometimes it’s calm on the water and we ride the gentle surf. Other times there are waves. I’d venture to say that most times there are waves. But these are the waves of life, the everyday problems we must address in order to …
Deciding to come to counselling in “normal” times can sometimes inspire apprehension and maybe even some fear. It can be a big step for someone to choose to see a counsellor and meet them in person to talk about what’s bothering them. As a result, making this choice and taking action requires courage. When you …
What do you mean by existentialism? Someone asked me that recently and I realized I use the term freely as it grounds how I live my life and how I work with clients. It is simply about realizing that many of people’s problems, such as relationship issues, job/career concerns and questions about life purpose, are …