As a final post for March, I want to share a favourite song with you - "Brave" by Sara Bereilles. It's one you have likely heard before and I highly encourage you to check out the video below as it elevates the song from a catchy tune to something truly special. This is a video I frequently turn to in those moments when life is feeling a bit too heavy and I need a lift. I hope it can provide a smile to your day as…
A quote today today about renewal. As we deal with change and transition in life, it can be unsettling and yet it is also a chance to begin again and sow new seeds. We may not be able to predict the flower at the end, yet we in tending the soil with gentle love and warmth, we WILL see the blossoms with time.
Today is St Patrick's Day and so "green" seemed an appropriate theme for a blog post. Thinking green thoughts led me to recall the ways in which contact with the natural environment in our lives can support our mental and emotional well-being. Here are three links to explore: Mental health doctor prescribes a good dose of nature - Who better than David Suzuki to open a dialogue on the psychological and emotional benefits of nature experiences? Green Cities: Good Health - This piece explores the restorative…
As we near the halfway point of the Daring Way (TM) group here in Vancouver, it is fitting that I direct your attention to Dr. Brene Brown's book "The Gifts of Imperfection". Over and over, when I find myself in those moments of self-doubt, shame, and comparison, I come back to this book. It reminds me that these perceived "failings" are a part of my story and offer potential points of connection. The wisdom within these pages resonates with many of my clients, my colleagues, my…
I love the transition seasons (spring and fall) and I am thrilled that spring seems to be on its way her in Vancouver. The world is coming alive with fresh growth and tendrils of warmth from the sun. I tend to see metaphor all around me and that includes the seasonal shifts. The spring blossoms remind me of the cycles of our own lives. As trite as it may sound, I see hope in the shoots springing up from the once frozen ground. In our…
Accepting ourselves is something that almost everyone I know struggles with. There are parts we like and parts we would prefer not to acknowledge. Today I offer two quotes from eminent psychologists that speak to the process and importance of accepting ourselves for who we really are. From that place of self-compassion, we can find greater joy and greater growth.
Continuing on in the theme of love that spans out of Valentine's Day, today I offer up two links that explore love in unique ways. Tom's Story - This was posted on the Aphasia Institute's website. It is inspiring to see how these two individuals learned new ways to love one another after his stroke. I am sure it took time for them to reach a place of peace (and it probably is an ongoing balancing act). Yet it is hopeful to see how this couple…
My Recommended Reading this month is the "The Book of Awesome" by Neil Pasricha. I write this with a solemn awareness that often in the midst of our health struggles it can be difficult to locate those moments of joy or peace. This book is not about ignoring the hard times or "putting on a happy face". It is about noticing some small pleasures even in the middle of difficult times. I like that philosophy. It is unrealistic and unhelpful to expect someone who is in…
Here we are in February, the month of love. Valentine's Day advertising is all around us and feeding us the idea that this is the time to express our love. This can be a real challenge for people with communication disorders and their families. Words may not be an easy route for people who struggle to speak or to understand due to a communication disorder. So here is a chance to be creative and find some non-verbal ways to express your love and appreciation: Share…
"Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change" - Mary Shelley This quote is particularly relevant to those times when we are dealing with a new health crisis or condition. It speaks to how we are catapulted from a familiar world into one in which we no longer know the rules and the norms. We no longer know what to expect. This is a scary time for many of us and it is normal that it takes time to regroup…