Blog
How Listening can Lessen the Load
If speaking is silver, then listening is gold. - Turkish proverb Think of the last time you had a conversation with someone about a personal issue you were struggling with. What was it that the other person did that made you feel better? ...
4 Strategies from Summer to Improve Your Mood
“One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.” – Henry David Thoreau I hope you had a great summer! As a psychologist, I often get asked if I'm busier in the winter than summer. While I take more time off of work...
5 Ways to Savour the Small Moments in Life and Boost Contentment
“You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.” - Andy Warhol A couple of weeks ago, I walked my kids to school. It was their last day in Grade 2. As we were walking to school, a couple of thoughts went through my head....
Analysis Paralysis: Why It Happens
"People who think too much before they act don't act too much." - Jimmy Buffet In the "Acknowledgement" section of The Promise Wheel, I mention that my book took me close to 10 years to complete. One reason it took me that long is that I spent a lot of time...
Three Steps to Enhance Communication and Connection in Relationships
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” —Maya Angelou As a parent, husband, and psychologist, I'm always interested in how some of the events from our past impact the different roles...
Breaking the Silence: Men’s Mental Health and Relationships
“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.” — Bob Marley Being a male and spending most of my adult life studying and working in a female-dominated field,...
Three Parts to Choosing Your Ideal Career
“Getting fired is nature’s way of telling you that you had the wrong job in the first place.” —Hal Lancaster During my master's program, one of the mandatory courses was Career Counselling. I remember shaking my head when I saw it as part of my course...
When It Comes to Exercise, Something Is Always Better than Nothing
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” — Mark Twain A few weeks ago, I interviewed Andre Gear, an instructor at Dawson College in Montreal, Quebec. Andre has a B.Sc. in Exercise Science. I’ve known Andre for a few years now, and every time we meet, I...
How Self-Compassion and Mindfulness Improves Mental Health
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” — Buddha Now and then, I think back to things I said and did many years ago. Sometimes, my words caused pain, and other times, it was my actions. Today, if a...
Neurodiversity is About Diverse Strengths, Not Deficits
"No, autism is not a ‘gift’. For most, it is an endless fight against schools, workplaces, and bullies. But, under the right circumstances, given the right adjustments, it CAN be a superpower" – Greta Thunberg One of my goals for 2024 is to introduce...
Two Ways a Balanced Life Can Help With Parenting
“To be a good parent, you need to take care of yourself so that you can have the physical and emotional energy to take care of your family.” — Michelle Obama Parenting is hard work, but it can also be gratifying at the same time. It takes tremendous work...
Four Ways Stress Can Be Helpful
“Stress acts as an accelerator: it will push you either forward or backward, but you choose which direction.” ― Chelsea Erieau In my previous post on the relationship between stress and performance, I talked about how a little bit of stress can be good. ...
