As a therapist, I always enjoy seeing Hollywood's portrayal of the therapy session. Some therapists are relatable and others are more like counsellor caricatures—simply entertainment. When watching therapists on the screen, one can quickly establish who they would and wouldn't want to be working with.
Getting the pulse on how our marriage is doing can be tough. With parenting, we know when we are struggling with our children. There is clear evidence when there is strain with our children, with changes in behaviour, sleep, and eating patterns, which we have to manage and keep on top of. We make adjustments—their bedtime, our bedtime, their routine, our response time, etc.
Does it ever feel like arguments with your partner have taken place before? New issue, similar rants. A simple discussion about kennelling the dog might turn into a venue for complaints about the financial struggles, disorganization, snide comments about the in-laws—who can't be asked, because they don't respect wishes about any of your parenting requests let alone dog training—and eventually your sex life will be tossed in there for good measure, because somehow this, too, comes up in the discussion.
Our new baby was just two weeks old when my husband had to leave for work overseas for five weeks. We all missed each other terribly. My five-year-old daughter summed it up perfectly when she said, “I miss Daddy like a Mommy and Daddy giraffe miss their baby giraffe when it has been eaten by a lion.”
Bringing home a second baby is always a big adjustment for the first baby, and my daughter was no exception. As a therapist and mom, I wanted to help my daughter with this transition. Change—no matter how wonderful—can be challenging.
Every one wants to feel understood, even celebrities. The rich and famous get little sympathy from the average Joe and Jane. Your first world problems will understandably get little empathy from those in the third. But, for the sake of just being human, could there be space for everyone to lament and say life is hard sometimes?
In my twenties, I was fortunate to attend a leadership retreat at The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership—a non profit training centre for women. It was founded in 1997 by Naomi Wolf, a bestselling author, and Margot Magowan, writer and radio producer.
A good story inevitably has four ingredients: a series of events, an element of suspense, adversity, and triumph. This story will not disappoint—it includes a bride, a groom, and a wedding video with a twist.
Flying can be trying. It is best to be prepared with entertainment, appropriate clothing, and anything that makes your flight more comfortable and enjoyable. With March break coming up, I wanted to share some of my best flying tips. We fly a lot as a family, so I thought I would share tips that were fresh in my mind, as we were literally en route.
Homework time! Loathed by students and parents alike, difficult to implement for parents, and the last desire of students. It is a frequent topic discussed by stressed out parents in my counselling sessions.
In my therapy practice, people often come to me with a specific issue—for example their relationship with their partner—and as they get talking, they start to share about financial strains, workplace issues, parenting woes, the loss of a loved one, in-law troubles, etc.
How do you wake up in the morning? Are you having some self reflection? Thinking about dreams, goals and aspirations? Processing and planning with a clear and level head? Or does your alarm come in the form of a child jumping on your head, followed by you staggering down the stairs only to be greeted by a million demands and questions?
Today, I think the stork could be useful in a time when people's children might have come with the help of rounds of IVF, medication, adoption, international adoption, gestational carriers, foster children, etc. Wouldn't it be easier just to say the stork brought him? Perhaps it's just me. We are having baby #2 through a gestational carrier, and I still find that telling some people about our baby news can be less than simple. I have to throw in so much more information than one simple sentence.
After months of planning, shopping, and wrapping, Christmas has left again for another year. For some, it met or exceeded expectations, for others it didn't. Some happily accepted all of their gifts; gifts they didn't ask for, things they didn't need, some even conceded that the thought counted. Others thought that there was just too little thought.
There are three little angels that adorn my Christmas tree. They are lovely, delicate, and unique. I cherish them, but mostly for who they represent, someone who is no longer with me at Christmas.
Motherhood can be all-consuming; not only do we have to take care of the basics, the day-to-day tasks of feeding, clothing and cleaning our little people, but we also often feel that it all has to be done with a smile, selflessly, creatively and for many of us, perfectly. Naturally, mothers feel responsible for almost every aspect of our children’s lives, we worry about their self-esteem, academics, health, safety, social skills, minor scrapes and skirmishes and the list goes on.
