What If the Shoe Doesn’t Fit?

By |2017-05-21T16:06:05-07:00July 31st, 2011|General|

There are countless discussions, arguments, and opinions out there in the psychology world about whether or not mental illness diagnoses are helpful or detrimental to the individual. I’m torn and I think that my official opinion is… It depends. One thing that I’ve come across in my work as a counsellor is clients who have told me about mental illness labels or diagnosis they have been given by said psychiatrist, psychologist etc. and the diagnosis itself has become a significant source of distress, and reason for therapy… especially if they believe the diagnosis is downright [...]

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Contagious People… Catching What They Have.

By |2017-05-21T16:06:05-07:00July 23rd, 2011|Psychotherapy|

In his national bestselling book TheTipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell dedicates a few pages to writing about types of people called “senders.” These types of people, he writes, “are those who are very good at expressing emotions and feelings, which means that [they] are far more emotionally contagious than the rest of us.” These are the types of people who, after spending some time in their presence, we can’t help but be greatly influenced by whatever energy they are sending out. I find I often notice it most when I am feeling blah, have an encounter [...]

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Below the Surface

By |2017-05-21T16:06:05-07:00July 15th, 2011|Psychotherapy|

There's an idea out there in the psychology world that we create, to a large extent, how people treat us, and recently I've been finding myself thinking and philosophizing about this idea more than usual. Now obviously if we are rude and mean to someone most likely they will respond to us with anger or resentment... nothing profound there. And, sometimes friends, loved ones, and even complete strangers will be overtly rude to us for no apparent reason... I'm not saying we necessarily caused them to treat us in this way... sometimes people are just [...]

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Happy Canada Day!

By |2017-05-21T16:06:05-07:00July 1st, 2011|General|

Today I have an extra opportunity to think about and reflect on why I am grateful to be Canadian. I am grateful to live in a country with an incredible health care system that takes care of me when I’m sick. I am grateful that when I enter any hospital from coast to coast , and when I need it most, I don’t have to worry about whether or not my insurance will cover me. I am grateful to live in a country with a police force that protects my safety and keeps the peace. [...]

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