Blog & Podcast

Written by Lauren Suraci, RN Psychotherapist, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) For many people, pets are not just companions; they are part of the family. They are present in daily routines, offer consistent companionship, and often provide a sense of comfort that feels steady and nonjudgmental. Because of this, the loss of a pet can be deeply…

Written by Lauren Suraci, RN, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) Social media is woven into everyday life. With billions of users on Instagram and Facebook alone, teens and young adults are immersed in online spaces where they share experiences, explore identity, and observe the lives of others. Yet these same platforms can also become environments where constant…

Written by Lauren Suraci, RN, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) As temperatures drop and daylight grows scarce, winter has a way of settling in, not just outside, but in our bodies and routines as well. With our northern landscape blanketed in snow and ice, the pace of life often turns inward. During this time, many people begin…

By Brooke Pollard, RSW, RP-Q (OCSWSSW, CRPO) Community crises are an evolving phenomenon and an umbrella term that can be used to  describe behavioral, emotional, and social justice issues that are prevalent and growing in  today’s society. All of which relates to matters related to mental health. In recent years, and  since healing from the…

By Brooke Pollard, RSW, RP-Q (OCSWSSW, CRPO) Brainspotting is a brain-body informed therapeutic approach in treating a wide range of mental  health issues, such as trauma, anxiety, depression, and addiction. Brainspotting was discovered  by Dr. David Grand while completing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)  on a patient in 2018. The core principle of brainspotting…

Written by Natasha Mapungwana, MSW, MBA As the demand for culturally responsive therapeutic practices grows, mental health professionals must ensure that their approaches resonate with the diverse identities and experiences of their clients. The upcoming training integrates Africentric and Black feminist frameworks into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), equipping you with the tools to better serve…

Written by Keisha Villeneuve, Social Service Worker and Student What is postpartum depression:  Postpartum depression is a type of depression that may start during a woman’s pregnancy or within the first year of a child’s birth. Much like depression, it affects a person’s mood and how they feel, which impacts the way they think about themselves,…

Written By: Brooke Pollard, RSW, RP-Q (OCSWSSW, CRPO) Tugade and Fredrickson (2011) describe emotional and psychological resilience as a concept using a metaphor illustrating wrought iron compared to cast iron due to its “soft,” “malleable,” and non-breakable structure, indicating its resilient compounding nature. Tugade and Fredrickson’s (2011) depiction of resilience can be applied to our…

Written By: Brooke Pollard, RSW, RP-Q (OCSWSSW, CRPO) Oh, depression, a relentless, time-consuming, and foggy, outside-of-self experience that any person can encounter at unique points of their life (Fusar-Poli et al., 2023). Outside of what some of the majority social perceptions and attitudes tell us, depression and its symptoms are not biased to any person…

Written by: Hailey Moulton BA (Hons), MACP (In Progress) RP (Qualifying) Anger is a natural emotion that everyone experiences, especially in stressful situations. Learning how to manage and express your anger effectively is essential for preventing it from being expressed in harmful or unproductive ways. Excessive anger can interfere with many aspects of life such…

By: Natalie DeSantis, RN Psychotherapist, RP (Qualifying).  What is moral distress and moral injury?  In recent decades, the terms moral distress and moral injury have been used to denote the unseen wounds formed in situations where individuals are required to act against their personal values, beliefs, ethics or morals (Williams et al., 2021). Traditionally, these…

Written by Hailey Moulton, BA (Hons), MACP (In Progress), RP (Qualifying) Finding the time to prioritize our mental and emotional health can seem daunting, but it’s crucial for nurturing our overall well-being. Though the term “self-care” became more recognized in the late 20th century, the practice has been around for centuries, long before modern healthcare…

Written by Hailey Moulton, BA (Hons), MACP (In Progress), RP (Qualifying) Achieving a healthy work-life balance in today’s fast-paced society can feel overwhelming. Juggling work responsibilities, personal commitments, and self-care often seems impossible, leading to burnout, stress, and unhappiness. However, with the right strategies and self-care, it is possible to manage stress and prioritize well-being…

Written by: Jonathan Rom, MD MPH RP (Qualifying) This piece of art is Rothko’s Four Darks in Red. What do you think the artist was trying to say with it? Some people see these saturated lines of red and black and notice the use of colour to reverse gravity, bringing out the often repressed, dark…

Written By Jonathan Rom, MD MPH RP (Qualifying). Figuring out what types of grief are “healthy” is a topic still debated by experts1. You may not be surprised to read this, given that each culture has different norms around grief. Most of these norms are hard to define and, sometimes, even harder to adhere to…

Written By Jonathan Rom, MD MPH RP (Qualifying). Our first blog of 2024 is here to shed some light on the topic of depression. Whether this information is new to you or a refresher, the topic can be complicated. Depression goes beyond normal sadness and experiences of this condition and can have a lot of…

Written By Danika Ferreira Childhood is meant to be a time of innocence and joy, but for some, it can be marred by traumatic experiences such as abuse, neglect, or the loss of a loved one. Experiencing traumatic events during formative years can disrupt a child’s healthy emotional development and make it challenging for them…

Written by Danika Ferreira Anxiety is a common and often debilitating mental health condition affecting millions worldwide (Bandelow & Michaelis, 2015). While it is normal to experience occasional worry or feel anxious in certain situations, such as before a job interview or a big exam, excessive and persistent anxiety can significantly impact one’s quality of…

Psychotherapist Stacey Roles RN PhD gives some advice on what to look for to ensure therapy is a success. Are you struggling with an emotional or mental health issue that is impacting your job and relationships? A good therapist can help you develop skills that allow you to move forward in your life. You may…

Written by Megan Cuglietta The commonality in all types of addiction is the compulsion to use, activated in the brain resulting in the overproduction of dopamine. The goal of treating substance use is to assist an individual in returning to their healthiest selves. Withdrawal from substances is always uncomfortable; however, in some cases, it can…