Normal Anxiety vs Anxiety Disorder
What are you anxious about? An upcoming exam or interview? A not-so-ideal doctor’s report on your physical health? Due date on a project at work? Or does everything uncertain in life keep you up at night and worry? What exactly is
Video Game Addiction
Hobby or addiction? Let us begin by floating back to your first memory of video games. Depending on your age (and your family’s level of technology sophistication) your first memory may be as early as the first Nintendo system. Maybe your
Trying Dry January? Some Helpful Tips from a CBT Therapist
The start of a New Year ushers in the promise of changed habits, new beginnings, and firm resolutions. Many people set resolutions and goals for January 1st, only to find their motivation waxing and waning in the first few weeks.
Chronic Pain and Mental Health
What is chronic pain? Chronic pain is a condition in which those suffering feel unrelenting pain for a period of three months or longer. According to Statistics Canada, an estimated 6 million Canadians, or about 19% of the population live with
The way the Holidays affects our Mental Health
Introduction The holidays for some people are a cheerful time of family gatherings, way too much food and traditional festivities. It is also one of the most stressful times of year for those exact same reasons. Social pressures and expectations for
How Bullying affects the developing mind
Introduction Bullying is something that barely needs a definition anymore due to its unfortunate presence in the lives of many and even most people. If you have not experienced the wrath of a bully firsthand, you likely know someone who has.
Normalizing Death,
The Grieving process Introduction Before we can normalize death, we need to understand death and the grieving process by having the end-of-life discussion. As living beings, death is a perfectly normal part of our life cycle. It comes sometime after birth
Women’s Brain Health
Introduction Brain health: who would have thought? This organ is intimately involved in our daily mental and physical functioning, but keeping it healthy falls outside of regular advice from doctors and health professionals. We exercise for physical health, meditate for mental
Digital world, Digital Health
Introduction Digital mental health has gone from 5% of therapy contacts before the pandemic to close to 100% of contacts during the height of the pandemic. Should digital mental health remain the major vehicle for mental health contacts? Or should it
Understanding the Homeless Situation in Canada
How you can help Define homeless Homelessness is defined as a situation wherein an individual or family lacks access to stable, permanent and safe housing [Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (COH), 2017]. It also includes individuals or families in precarious situations where their