There has been a lot more focus on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and how it presents in adulthood. Symptoms of ADHD tend to change from childhood to adulthood. For example, in adulthood instead of high energy-jumping off the furniture... The post How Can Therapy Help with ADHD? appeared first on Living Well Counselling Services ..read more

Should couples talk about their problems during counselling therapy?   This sounds like an important question to answer. Most people feel the need to hash things out and clarify their stance on important issues and decisions, especially in their lives together. The issue, though, is not that couples want to come in and talk about what’s wrong, but rather the “negative communicative techniques” or negative sentiment that seems to override so many of their conversations, inevitably leading them into feeling emotionally overwhelmed or “flooded” from one another and apprehensive in engaging s ..read more

  Conflict in relationships is completely normal. Ideally conflict is resolved with good listening, communication and collaborative problem solving. So what do you do when you have a huge fight or regrettable incident in your relationship?    According to the Gottman’s, it is not what your conflict or fight is about but rather the steps you take to repair when unavoidable differences in perspective, personality and needs collide.   Many couples will start counselling with an accumulation of open wounds from fights left unresolved or avoided. The issue with this is that it l ..read more

  Using sand as a healing modality has been seen in many cultures historically such as the Navajo Indians.   Sandplay therapy can be used by both adults and children and consists of creating scenes or pictures in the sand that involve body, soul, and spirit. What objects a person chooses to put into the sand can be on an unconscious level, and can be more about a feeling versus a concrete action.    Using sand can give an outlet to non-verbalized emotional issues. It creates a safe distance to processing issues as items can be metaphorical or symbolic. It is a way for someo ..read more

Do you ever feel there is a part of you that is setting yourself up to fail or doubting your ability? This dastardly saboteur goes by many names, but the most common one we hear is Anxiety.    When you boil anxiety down to its core, anxiety is communicating “I can’t”. I can’t make that speech.. people will laugh at me; I can’t take that test… I am going to fail; what if I get sick… I can’t handle it. Now this “I can’t” statement can be incredibly useful; I can’t get into the lion’s cage…they will eat me. However, this saboteur voice can begin to pipe in on things that are not only sa ..read more

Image Credit: Cottonbro Studios   Couples often go through difficult periods such as childbirth, financial issues, death of friends or family, mental and physical health issues, and mid-life transitions to name a few. They also could be experiencing a lack of connection or simply wanting to improve what is already working. A common misperception is that couples have to be in a state of crisis to consider counselling and it’s usually seen as a last resort. Many couples can benefit from a few counselling sessions together (unless there is physical violence then individual sessions may be ne ..read more

  In a previous blog post, I discussed the barriers towards acceptance. These barriers all play off of unhelpful perceptions and ideas that prevent one from fully embracing the idea of acceptance.   But why is it even important to really work towards acceptance? Well, when we are unable to accept the things in our life that are outside of our control (i.e. our authentic emotional experience or the unhelpful thoughts that pop into our minds), we are unable to live mindfully and meaningfully in the present moment. This serves only to reinforce an unconstructive struggle with our intrin ..read more

Heart pounding. Light headed. Lungs starving for air. Shaking. Sweating. About to throw up. On the verge of passing out. Chest pains. Hands are tingling. Feet are numb. Sure you’re about to drop dead at any moment, yet unsure if what is happening is even real…   Panic attacks. Perhaps the closest one can come to death without actually dying. At least, that’s how it feels in the moment. These intense experiences of anxiety are ruthless, typically peaking around 10 minutes and then slowly dissipating. They can’t kill you; they just feel like they can. However, no matter how many times you’v ..read more

­Anger is a natural and normal feeling or emotion that everyone is capable of feeling. Anger is a natural, adaptive response to perceived threats and it can inspire powerful feelings and behaviours that allow us to defend ourselves. A certain amount of anger can be appropriate and feelings of anger are common and healthy.   Anger can be seen as a warning sign; Our mind and body are telling us that something is wrong and we must deal with it in a healthy way. Ignoring the warning signs can result in expressing anger in unhealthy ways. If we do not deal with feelings of anger as they occur ..read more

Premarital counselling has been incorporated into my practice to help couples be proactive and help prevent the deep hurt and suffering that I have witnessed resulting from affairs and divorce. Couples who have engaged in this process have benefited greatly.  Sentiments that they express include: “I think everyone should do this before getting married. It has improved our communication and given us great tools to work through difficult and touchy subjects.” What is Marriage Preparation?  Understand the strengths and challenges in your relationship and how to work through the differe ..read more