Photo: Denys Nevozhai For most people, the end of a year is a meaningful time. I often take time to pause from the busyness of my days to reflect and look back on the journey I travelled. As a nature lover, I enjoy contemplating the transition from
Image by Gustavo Frazao. I had a few friends over at my house some time ago to honour a personal and meaningful life event. Things were not perfect or fully finished in my new home, which I recently moved into. In a very spontaneous way, I said
Photo: Jordan Whitfield "Authenticity is the capacity to be in touch with ourselves and to be able to express and manifest who we are in our relationships and social interactions." Dr. Gabor Mate More frequently than not, people seeking therapy acknowledge that authenticity can be a struggle
Antonio Visalli Of all possessions, a friend is the most precious. Herodotus Full disclosure! Friendships, other than my psychotherapist, have been and continue to be one of the softest and most reliable places for me to land when searching for fun and waves of laughter, as much as
Photo by cottonbro studio "In my early professional years, I was asking the question: How can I treat, cure, or change this person? Now, I would phrase the question in this way: How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for his own personal
Photo: S. Crane "Psychotherapy can be one of the greatest and most rewarding adventures, it can bring with it the deepest feelings of personal worth, of purpose and richness in living." Eda LeShan As a psychotherapist located in Burlington, Ontario, with three decades of experience, I am
Created with Image, Margarita. “The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery. There is always more mystery.” -Anais Nin. As a psychotherapist with nearly thirty years of experience, I became gradually more curious about the relationship between spirituality and mental health. The
Photo: Margarita, 2012 -Image Remix from Original. "Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our
The main thing is this — when you get up in the morning you must take your heart in your two hands,” the poet and storyteller turned activist Grace Paley’s father told her in what remains the finest advice on growing older. “You must do this every morning.” A few
I first heard about the "sober curious lifestyle" during conversations with some clients about Depression, Anxiety, Sleep challenges and Alertness. Then, given my curious nature, I looked more in-depth into what that means and why many people concerned about their mental health are introducing this concept in their lives.
“Losing will not always amount to a loss, sometimes you have to lose those toxic relationships and bad habits to create a space for better things.” ― Gift Gugu Mona Toxic relationships can manifest in various aspects of our lives, from personal connections to the workplace environment. These detrimental dynamics
Pramod Tiwari “We need much less than we think we need.” ― Maya Angelou In pursuing a fulfilling life, we often chase happiness, believing it to be the ultimate destination. We yearn for the rush of excitement, the thrill of success, and the exhilaration of new experiences. Yet,
Alice Alinari “It is one of the great paradoxes of the human condition – we ask some variation of the question, “How are you feeling?” over and over, which would lead on to assume that we attach some importance to it, yet we never expect or desire or provide
Marek Piwnicki In the realm of relationships, boundaries serve as the invisible force that defines our emotional and physical limits, shaping the dynamics we share with others. The first and perhaps more meaningful stage in which we learn how to locate ourselves in a relationship is
Jacek Dylag Recently, the demands placed on frontline workers have surged to unprecedented levels. The tireless efforts to safeguard lives and provide essential services have affected their mental and emotional well-being. Burnout, a state of chronic exhaustion, has become a pressing concern affecting frontline workers and their
Life flies by, and it's easy to get lost in the blur. In adolescence, it's 'How do I fit in?' In your 20s, it's 'What do I want to do?' In your 30s, 'Is this what I'm meant to do?' I think the trick is living the questions. Not worrying
“Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies: The past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort. Their bodies are constantly bombarded by visceral warning signs, and, in an attempt to control these processes, they often become expert at ignoring their gut feelings and in numbing awareness
The forest bird. “Anything that is human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know
Photo: Niko Photos In nature, nothing is perfect, and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted and bent in weird ways, and they're still beautiful. Alice Walker Why exposure to nature is important. As a psychotherapist and avid hiker, I have seen the immense benefits of exposure to nature on
Photo: Greg Rosenke Did you know about the 'Hope Molecules’? The 'hope molecules’ are live molecules called myokines in our body that release when we exercise, specifically when our muscles contract. They have an effect on our mood and brain functioning. As a psychotherapist, I often discuss the
Photo by Margarita. Spring is a fabulous time of the year... ... for noticing the changes and enduring transformations in nature, paying attention to how everything is constantly changing and rebirthing. Satisfaction comes not from chasing bigger and bigger things but from paying attention to smaller and
"For me, success is not a public thing. It's a private thing. It's when you have fewer and fewer regrets." Toni Morrison Raise your hand if you don't have any life regrets ....That's what I thought! Having regrets is a layer of the human experience we sometimes secretly
Audio Recording (8:58) dropping anchor, adapted by Margarita. 'Dropping Anchor'** is a very useful skill. You can use it for handling difficult thoughts, feelings, emotions, memories, urges and sensations more effectively. A: Acknowledge your thoughts and feelings C: Come back into your body E: Engage in what
The post-holiday elation is upon us. Photo: Ana Sgambato & Margarita Rabinovich, 2019 "Winter friendship." I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says
Photo: Margarita, Another cycle of beauty. "When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will