As part of my counselling practice, I am now seeing clients who are dealing with tinnitus.  This is another condition that is often associated with unrecognized emotional consequences.  Many sufferers are told to just "learn to live with it."  However, there are effective ways to cope with the distress. Jan L. Mayes is an audiologist who has tinnitus.  Her book, the Tinnitus Treatment Toolbox, is an excellent resource for people with tinnitus and their loved ones.  She describes treatment options available and includes case studies that…

Today's recommended reading comes in the form of a favourite magazine of mine - Mindful Magazine.  You are likely not surprised to see that mindfulness is again making an appearance on the blog here; the relevancy and benefits of mindfulness within health management are key beliefs of mine. On the Mindful site, you will find articles that describe the science behind mindfulness, as well as anecdotal support from individual contributors.  Plus there is ample space devoted to describing specific mindful practices you can incorporate into your…

There are many writers and teachers who inspire my work and one such individual is Dr. Irvin Yalom.  He is an American psychiatrist who developed Existential Psychotherapy.  Dr. Yalom's writings are personable and at times quite humourous as he illustrates the dance of therapy through case anecdotes in The Gift of Therapy. Existential therapy is highly relevant to many of my clients who are coping with unexpected transitions and life challenges often in relation to their health.  When we are unexpectedly faced with a crisis, we…

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…