By Carly Fleming, Registered Psychotherapist For the vast majority of adults diagnosed with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), medication management is the first line of treatment. The good news is that medication is highly effective and can be revolutionary in the lives of people with ADHD. Adding psychotherapy to the management of ADHD, along with medication, can impact the trajectory of treatment in an incredibly positive way. But how? Negative view of self When an adult is newly diagnosed with ADHD, the diagnosis itself may be new, but the impacts of ADHD are far from ne ..read more

By Carly Fleming, M.Ed. RP Registered Psychotherapist World Cancer Day is an important opportunity to reflect on how cancer has impacted our own lives, the lives of our loved ones and the lives of people within our community. As a Psychotherapist who specializes in working with people affected by cancer and an individual whose family has been profoundly affected by cancer, today is a day where I make time to stop and think about all of the people who have bravely shared their stories with me, allowed me to walk beside them for a brief part of their journey, and who have taught me so much about ..read more

By Anjali Aggarwal, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), Therapist Intern We live in a society that often talks about the pursuit of happiness and very little about depression. While sadness is a part of life and we all have days where we may feel down, depression affects multiple parts of our life - behaviour, mood, and thoughts and can last for days, weeks, or even months. There is no one way that depression is experienced, however there are some common signs and symptoms to be on the lookout for that are associated with depression and may indicate a more profound concern. Signs you or s ..read more

By Aviva Boxer, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) “Don’t go changing to try to please me … I love you just the way you are.” Do the lyrics from this Billy Joel song ring a bell? The message is about loving someone as they are in this moment, imperfections included. But what if the “you” in the song was actually you? What if you loved yourself just the way you are in this moment, imperfections included? As we embark on a new year, we are surrounded by messages urging us to improve and strive to make ourselves “better” than ever. The idea of transforming into a newer, shinier version of o ..read more

By Armaan Amlani-Kurji, Registered Nurse, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), Therapist Intern Why is burnout so high in the nursing profession? You likely chose the nursing profession because of your desire to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Nurses are driven by compassion and a commitment to the well-being of their patients. However, these noble values that draw individuals to nursing often clash with the harsh realities of the healthcare environment. This may give rise to a unique set of challenges that can lead to burnout.  What are the signs of nursing burnout ..read more

By Lindsay Ryan, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) The holidays can be joyful…and hard! One of the things that may come up for people around this time of the year is setting boundaries and coping with environments or interactions that are uncomfortable. Holiday parties can bring with them overstimulation and difficult conversations. You may already know and expect to have a bad experience at a family dinner, a work party, or you may be facing some isolation at home. The holidays can be a very joyful time, but that joy can also be uncomfortable or come along with other uncomfortable thou ..read more

By Armaan Amlani-Kurji, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), Therapist Intern From Emotional Analysis to Emotional Awareness Picture this: You’re replaying an argument you had with your partner that was emotionally distressing, and while you are back on good terms with your partner, you can’t help but remember how much emotional discomfort it caused you. You have some emotional awareness - you may have recounted that leading up to the argument, work was really busy, which meant your bandwidth was already quite low. Or perhaps the argument reminded you of a pattern from your past that was ..read more

By Carly Fleming, Registered Psychotherapist Finances are one of the top sources of conflict for couples. Why is money so hard to talk about? What can we do to make it easier? As a couples therapist I often hear about the strain that communicating about finances places on a relationship. Many couples attempt to communicate about money but find themselves in familiar, unhelpful patterns each time they try. Instead of giving up hope and sweeping these conversations under the rug, it can be really helpful to understand what’s going on under the surface. Money is highly associated with feeling saf ..read more

By Theia Jamal-Sunderji, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), Therapist Intern As a cancer survivor, just hearing that six-letter word used to send a chill down my spine, stirring up feelings of fear, anxiety, and vulnerability. But here's the thing – it's because of these very emotions that we shouldn't shy away from talking about cancer. Changing the way we think and talk about this life-changing experience isn't just a good idea; it's crucial for our emotional well-being and overall healing journey. The Forgotten Aspect: Mental Health When you're juggling medical appointments and treatm ..read more

By Lindsay Ryan, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) A SMART goal is a method of goal setting that was created in 1981 for the purpose of project and program management and has made its way into therapy practices, especially therapy modalities that focus on changes in behaviour. If you have been in therapy for a while, or even immersed yourself in self-help books or professional development, you may have come across the term “SMART Goal”. Using SMART goals has been validated in studies as a way to boost self-efficacy which can also lead to building self-esteem. It makes sense that so many ..read more