As we head into the holiday season, this Christmas time can be challenging for some. Life is filled with broken dreams. Things don't always turn out the way we pictured…
Read More
Each person is valuable here and now, just as they are. Period. We often struggle with feeling valuable or lovable based on things from the past. Mistakes and bad choices,…
Read More
Life gotten too busy? No time or energy to connect with friends and family? This society makes it easy to become disconnected and isolated. The demands of work, family, finances,…
Read More
Feelings come and go like waves. They are emotional responses to what we are thinking about, believing and experiencing. Emotions are neither right or wrong. For example, there is no…
Read More
As humans we don't like unknowns! In fact, some of us hate them and really struggle if things are unknown. Yet life has so many unknown components. When we get…
Read More
First, let's differentiate between hope and optimism. “Hope focuses more directly on the personal attainment of specific goals, whereas optimism focuses more broadly on the expected quality of future outcomes…
Read More
Have you been dealt some unfair blows lately? Has your life been impacted by grief and loss? Has trauma blown your life apart? If you answered 'yes' to one or…
Read More
We all felt a certain amount of anxiety when the COVID 19 pandemic started. So many unknowns were infiltrating our lives. What was going to happen next? What if... Now…
Read More
Many of us were shocked and distressed to learn of the death of Naomi Judd one day before her induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. To quote her…
Read More
It's interesting how many people have a workout program for their bodies but no focus on managing their mind. Why is it that we can prioritize physical fitness and not…
Read More
Although this is known to be a joyous season it doesn't mean that it is. The Holidays can cause a sore spot to fester even more. Perhaps you are experiencing…
Read More
I keep hearing about people having 'impostor syndrome.' I guess it's become a thing. Actually it was first referenced in 1978 followed by research done in 1985 by Dr. Pauline…
Read More
Our world has become a place of distraction. The internet has shortened our attention spans and trained us to distract and detach. All these 'time saving' inventions have left us…
Read More
If you are wondering if you are a narcissist, here's a simple test put forward by Scott Barry Kaufman, Writer and Psychologist: Step 1: Take a moment to think about…
Read More
The pandemic has caused a tsunami of mental health impacts, including a huge increase in depression. Whether or not it is clinical depression, it doesn't feel good. Depression is a…
Read More
Restrictions, lockdowns, frustrations galore...but you know what? I can do this because I am! This is a statement I learned many years ago during my Graduate Studies. I hit points…
Read More
In most eating disorders there is a pendulum that swings from restriction (not eating enough) to binging (eating a large quantity of food in a short period of time). Although…
Read More
We are very pleased to welcome Annika Schaefer to our Fresh Hope Counselling team. With all the stress, uncertainty and struggles intensified by the pandemic, requests for counselling help have…
Read More
Retirement is a definite transition time, especially in the age of COVID-19 and it's impact on social interactions. When you have worked most of your adult life, the work you…
Read More
Most of us are glad to see 2020 coming to an end! This has been quite the year -- full of unpredictable dynamics and lots of things that have been,…
Read More
Healthy habits and daily rituals are two ways to help overcome emotional/mindless/stress eating. Unfortunately the term 'healthy' has even become an eating disordered term on some occasions. Foods are not…
Read More
We are excited to bring on another Registered Psychologist to Fresh Hope Counselling's West End location, Ms. Daisy Lee! Daisy is a transplant from Calgary but don't hold that against…
Read More
Wearing a mask is highly recommended these days due to this unprecedented pandemic we are experiencing. I thought I'd take advantage of the whole mask thing to talk about the…
Read More
New Growth is something most of us would like to have. This is our Christmas cactus, Six Fingered Sam. He was left in a vacant office for months with no…
Read More