My Blog
Do Your Inner Thoughts Often Sound Judgemental and Critical?
If you find yourself in self-judgement and shame, such as thinking “I’m not good enough,” you’re not alone. It’s a Universal experience. Did you know that when you judge yourself, when you shame yourself, you shut down the Learning Center in your brain? The result is...
When Someone Asks “How are You” & You Say, “I’m Fine,” Are You Really?
This week is Mental Health Week in Canada. And how timely given the challenging times of this global pandemic. The overarching message for the year is the importance of social connection on mental health. A message that’s difficult to heed when we’re trying to protect...
Two Tools to Calm Anxiety
1. A Simple Meditation Count 30 breaths backwards. Meditation doesn’t have to be complicated. Focusing on your breathing is a mindful way to calm down. Counting backwards gives your mind a simple task to focus on, distracting you from spiraling thoughts. Meanwhile the...
PART 1: A Global Pandemic & Self Isolation Present Us with New Fears & Gifts Too
For everyone’s physical health, STAYING HOME is the new normal for many people right now. And if you’re among the many, essential service workers, I give you acknowledgement and thank you for your bravery. There’s no doubt it is a challenging time, and we’re facing a...
PART 2: A Global Pandemic & Self Isolation Present Us with New Fears & Gifts Too
When fearful thoughts (pandemic fears) come up do you react in a destructive manner, or a way that you later regret? Let’s consider better ways to respond that you can feel good about. For example, rather than turning away to avoid the issue that’s creating fear, or...
Isolation and Mental Health
At this time staying home (in isolation) to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus is an act of safety, solidarity and kindness. But no longer having interactions with the people we did before and changes to work and routine can be especially hard to deal with....
What Is Complex PTSD?
In order to understand Complex PTSD, let’s first talk about PTSD or Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder, which you have probably heard of. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD is a mental illness or disorder caused or triggered by some kind of shocking or terrifying event....
Intimacy: About More Than Sex
If you hear the word intimacy, most people have an instant association with sex—that if you’re talking about intimacy, then you’re talking about sex. But that’s not the case. Intimacy and sex and two different things. Intimacy is described by Mariana Bockarova, Ph.D.,...
The Authenticity Debate
“Authenticity” is an overused and often-debated term these days. We are told to be authentic at work to achieve sales and success, authentic on social media to acquire a big following and authentic everywhere else as well. So, the Question Arises, What Exactly is...
Explosive Anger
Have you ever exploded with anger? An anger that seemed inappropriate to the moment? Like an explosion that surprises everyone around you including yourself… It might be a dramatic episode or a brief flash of anger such as: road rage physical or verbal aggression...
Real Connection in Communication – 5 Steps
Being real in your communication invites connection. That often requires some vulnerability and that’s not something we feel comfortable doing with just anyone. It is important to make connections through communication. In this post we will give you resources for how...
Choice Moments – Building Trust with a Simple Decision
Our Lives are Full of Meaningful Moments of Choice Moments that you get to decide which direction you want your life to move to. You can choose the easy way or a more challenging route. Those times when you can turn towards someone and create a better connection and...
Who Would You be Without Your Story of “Not Enough?”
Not smart enough, loved enough, loving enough, pretty enough, rich enough, successful enough, popular enough… any one of these can stick in your mind like a thorn or virus that works behind the scenes. Even if the thought is expressed openly it still seems to hide in...
Short Term vs Long Term Counselling
A big push in the counseling field recently has been for short term counselling. This is mostly promoted by the health insurance coverage based on cost. Another factor is the fix-it-quick mentality that is pervasive in society. So I thought I’d give a brief...
Angry? Feeling Disrespected or Not Considered? Gain Clarity with a Shift in Perspective
Why are you stuck and keep self-sabotaging yourself? Anger management and anxiety counselling aren’t just about changing behaviour, it’s about finding the deeper cause. The root that’s keeping you stuck, angry, frustrated, anxious and unhappy. But when shifted makes...
Social Anxiety
That freeze and avoid state. The perma smile sets in on your face. You’re physically there, sitting off to the side but not present. And you can’t find anything worthwhile to say. If some or all of those are familiar you’re dealing with social anxiety. An ingrained,...
Does Floating Really Help with Anxiety?
Floatation Therapy is time spent in a tank of super-saturated Epsom salt water with minimal sensory input for 90 minutes or more. This floating meditation provides a space of limited to no light, sound, tactile, gravity, temperature variations. This minimal or lack of...
Bored in Your Relationship? Maybe You’re Not Feeling Safe.
Boredom isn’t a lack of things to do, but an unwillingness to do things we fear. Especially in relationships. Intimate relationships, friendships, co-workers and family all can fall into the rut that’s too easy and stale. Bringing on the boredom. "Just spice it up" is...
Unconditional Love – What is it? For Parents, Friends and Partners – Part 2
Part 2 of the Unconditional Love Blog by Choose Again For loving healthy relationships and happy homes get clearer about when love is unconditional and when it’s need. Hint: Unconditional Love isn’t obligation, tolerating bad behaviour or bargaining. Unconditional...
Unconditional Love – Fear vs. Love – Is it Part of Your Relationship? For Parents, Friends and Partners – Part 1
The 1st of a 6 part blog on Unconditional Love The writer’s focus is on Unconditional Love in the Parent child relationship but these questions and statements can apply to all our relationships. Our ideas of what’s loving when looked at closely are really fear in...
Choose Again – Lift the Veil of Label-ism
From Choose Again daily quote: Reflections “Each flies with its own kind: pigeon with pigeon, hawk with hawk.” Idries Shaw Is the ‘pigeon’, perhaps, merely a reflection of who I think I am? The saying “If you want to fly with the eagles do not walk with...