• The importance of community in celebrating identity

    Last week, I had the pleasure of diving into a juicy conversation with two friends about identity and self-discovery. Although the three of us are from very different backgrounds and identities within the LGBTQIA+ community, there were common threads running through all of our stories.  In each case, we had all carried around a feeling of…

  • What Can I expect from my first counselling appointment?

    Attending your first counselling appointment can feel daunting. If you’ve never seen a counsellor before, you might have no idea what to expect. Even if you have been to a counsellor in the past, you might feel anxious about meeting someone new and not knowing how they work. Getting over the hurdle of making your first appointment…

  • Why I don’t use the 5 stages of grief.

    Most people usually haven’t heard of many of the concepts and frameworks that I use in my grief counselling practice. But there is one theory that everyone seems to have heard of: The 5 Stages of Grief. This theory was created by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and proposes 5 “Stages” of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. This…

  • Grief Counselling for Break-ups

    When you think of a “grief counsellor”, you probably imagine someone who works with clients who have experienced the death of someone close to them. Although I work with a lot bereaved clients, grief counselling can be useful for other types of losses. Breakups represent a significant loss, and there are a lot of similarities between…

  • What’s the Difference between a counsellor and a psychologist?

    This is a question that I get asked constantly. There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the work that psychologists and counsellors do. Some people think that they’re essentially the same, other people know that they’re different but aren’t sure exactly why. I thought I’d take a little time to clear up the confusion. What is a counsellor? A…

  • How to set New Years Resolutions you’ll actually keep

    As December draws to a close, the idea of setting New Year’s resolutions begins looming large. We’re bombarded with advertisements for products and gadgets that claim to offer the gateway to “A Whole New You!” Friends begin posting pledges to lose weight/eat clean/ run a marathon in the year ahead. January 1st seems like a…

  • You don’t have to be in crisis to see a counsellor

    There’s a common perception that you only need to see a counsellor if you’re in the midst of a personal crisis. It’s true that a counsellor can provide support when you’re going through difficult times due to a big life event like a loss, a breakup or a personal disaster, there are so many more…

  • What is an LGBTQIA+ affirming counsellor?

    One of the biggest factors that determines whether counselling will be successful is the quality of the relationship between client and counsellor. Finding a counsellor that you feel comfortable with, who you can open up to, who treats you with respect and empathy can be a challenge, especially if you are part of a marginalised group. For…

  • Why is it so hard to ask for what we want?

    A surprising number of clients come to counselling with a clear idea of what they need in order to overcome the challenges that they’re facing. Often, the struggle lies not in identifying our needs, but in advocating for ourselves. So why do we find this so hard? Firstly, a lot of us grow up being…

  • Managing financial stress during the holidays

    The holidays can generate a lot of financial pressure, and this year more than ever folks are feeling the squeeze. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been impacted by the rising cost of living, and I’m hearing from a lot of folks who are feeling stressed out by finances as they navigate the holidays. I…