Emotional validation involves recognising that an individual’s feelings or opinions are valid and worthwhile. When someone expresses an emotion that you aren’t used to or are unsure of how to handle, understanding how to validate is important. It is essentially a way to communicate the acceptance of another person’s thoughts, feelings or behaviours. Emotional validation
I’m a strong advocate for journaling. It’s easy to get caught up in our head, where things start to seem all over the place, or we feel overwhelmed. Journaling gives us an opportunity to get things out of our head, onto paper, where we can see it with clearer eyes. In addition, journaling can assist
During a recent stressful period, the importance of connecting with, and living in accordance with values became ever so apparent to me. Identifying and moving in the direction of your values is important, and helpful in the treatment of a wide range of concerns, including: Depression Anxiety Adjustment difficulties When I was feeling stressed and
We all experience stress..it’s a normal part of life. Often stress is unpredictable, as we never know what curve balls life is going to throw our way. Other times, it is in response to our never ending to-do list, or a difficult situation at home or work. Whatever the cause of your stress, there are
It can be difficult to find the ‘right’ psychologist for you. At the end of the day psychologists are humans. This means we will be well suited for some clients, but not so well suited for others. That’s why it’s important to find the ‘right’ psychologist for you…the right fit. This is someone you can
Gratitude is a simple, yet incredibly powerful tool. The practice of focusing on what is already here in your life and being grateful for it can assist in boosting: Feelings of happiness Optimism Personal satisfaction and motivation Not bad for something that only needs to take a couple minutes of your day. In the video
In this video I discuss ways that you can start implementing self-compassion in your life. As human beings, we are often better at showing others kindness, compassion and love, than we are ourselves. However, self-compassion is an important value to share with yourself for many reasons. In this video, I explain what self-compassion is, why we
We can all relate to a time when we had to do something that we didn’t want to or were scared to do. For some people, coming to therapy for the first time can be a really confronting experience. For a young person, it can be even harder. We want to ease some of those
One in ten children/adolescents experience anxiety at a level which causes them to have problems doing things (e.g., going to school, trying new things, hanging out with friends, or performing their best). Knowing when to get help for your child can be tough. Worry is both normal and helpful, which is one of the reasons
Most of us know how important sleep is, and how terrible it can feel when we aren’t sleeping well. When I recently had a loved one suffer from insomnia, I witnessed firsthand the detrimental impact that insomnia can have on someone. What made it even more difficult was trying to find a service that could
