Family Therapy

  You may need self-care ideas if you are experiencing: 1) Poor sleep patterns, or are sleeping more than usual 2) Increased use of alcohol or drugs (even prescription medication or over the counter sleeping pills) 3) A feeling of being detached from others or less interested in connecting with other people 4) Hopelessness and despair 5) Situations where you find you are more easily annoyed or angrier than usual These are all signs that you might be overwhelmed or even  depressed  and you could use some self-care tips and nurturing. What Can Self-Care Look Like? Saying NO to excessive demands made on you. Ordering food instead of feeling pressured to cook. Getting to bed early or earlier than usual. Lowering your expectations of yourself. Learning when to be assertive vs be aggressive or passive Turning off social media or the TV, to truly rest and relax. Read more:  https://family-therapy.ca/blog/self-care-tips-to-help-you-stay-strong/

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns for children and their parents. Especially right now, when our children and teens are not attending in-person school, and not hanging out with their friends in person. But how can you, as a parent, tell if your child’s anxiety is interfering with their everyday life? What are the common signs you need to watch out for and how can you help your child with anxiety? Take Our Quick Anxiety Quiz – 14 Key Questions to Ask Here are some ways you can determine if your child has anxiety and if anxiety is interfering with their everyday life.Does your child often complain about headaches, tummy aches, or not feeling well, and there is no medical reason? Is your child often coming home and has not eaten their lunch or snacks? Does your child refuse to use the bathrooms except at home? Does your child have trouble falling asleep? Does your child talk about not wanting to go to school? Does your child not have any school friends? Does your ch

  For healthy adults, drinking more than these single-day or weekly limits is considered “at-risk” or “heavy” drinking: Women: More than 3 drinks on any day or 7 drinks per week. Men: More than 4 drinks on any day or 14 drinks per week. Research shows that women develop alcohol problems quicker and at lower alcohol consumption levels in comparison to men. In general, women tend to be smaller than men meaning that the same amount of alcohol is going into a smaller body and causing you to get drunk faster and sooner. Even if you are the same size and weight as a man, you will have a higher blood alcohol level if you (a woman) drink the same amount of alcohol as a man of equal weight. As we age, our bodies break down alcohol at a slower rate. This means we become more sensitive to its effects and can get drunk sooner and on less alcohol. So, while you may drink the same amount of alcohol as you did when you were younger, it’s likely to affect you more. If you are a mom consuming alcohol r

Needle phobia is more common in children than adults but can last a lifetime if not addressed or if you continue to have unpleasant and painful experiences when you need to get an injection. Any phobia or fear can prevent you from doing normal everyday activities. However, you can learn how to manage your anxiety and fears and overcome your phobia. For myself, I dreaded going to the dentist if I had to get a filling because I found getting ‘frozen’ was the most painful part of the visit. Through EMDR and calm breathing techniques I have overcome my fear of needles and dread of visiting the dentist. Many people, once they have developed a needle phobia, avoid situations such as visiting the dentist, going to the doctor or even having a tetanus booster or another vaccine because of their fear of having to face being given a “shot in the arm with a needle”. Even people who want to work in the medical field can experience a fear of needles. In fact, there are many people who are afraid of

  Are you looking for support outside of therapy? Can online discussions between peers or a support group replace therapy with a trained professional psychotherapist or psychologist? Continue reading to learn more about the difference between support groups and therapy What is a Support Group? Support groups are helpful for times when you must cope with events or situations you cannot change. Support groups are best for handling issues, situations, and challenges that you are not equipped to change. Support groups may also be a way for you to learn more about an issue you are facing and learn about what resources are available to help you and your family. For example, you cannot change the fact that you have a child with a life-threatening illness or that you’re going through a divorce or that you’ve lost a loved one or you have a family member who is struggling with an addiction. What you can change, through your participation in a support group, is how well you cope with these strugg

Narcissists have an inflated sense of their own importance, as well as a deep need for excessive attention and admiration. Their personality can lead to troubled relationships with family, friends, and coworkers since they often lack empathy for others. They face problems in many areas of life, their relationships, at work, at school, at home, with their adult children or financial affairs. Narcissists find their relationships with other people unfulfilling as they want the focus to be on them, their accomplishments, and their interests.  Do you know a Narcissistic Person? Narcissists have an exaggerated sense of self-worth and believe they are better or superior to those around them.  They don’t share the limelight well with others. Narcissists have a hard time hearing and listening to other people. Narcissists tend to monopolize conversation and do very little listening. But behind their mask of extreme confidence lies a fragile self-esteem. They have trouble accepting or hearing any

  In the midst of this global COVID-19 pandemic, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, hopeless, depressed, and anxious. Nataxja Cini, MSW, RSW, speaks with CTV news anchor Leslie Roberts about dealing with the effects of COVID and ways to manage your anxiety and other emotions during this latest lockdown in April 2021. How Are We Feeling Right Now?  Life is already full of stress and as a result of this pandemic, you may be experiencing several major stressors at once, making you more vulnerable to depression and anxiety. Many of us are angry, feeling let down by our government, frustrated at losing our jobs, fearful of getting sick or going bankrupt. Working parents are tired of homeschooling or juggling kids and work. We may never have imagined we would, but yes, some of us are even missing being stuck in rush hour traffic! As we go from day to day dealing with the effects of COVID, many of us are feeling lonely, isolated, missing friends, social contact or desperate to go back to our rout