by Richard Amaral | Dec 2, 2023 | Mental Health, Trauma
“The most beautiful people I’ve known are those who have known trials, have known struggles, have known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.” – Elizabeth Kübler-Ross Being able to overcome a challenge or difficulty in...
by Richard Amaral | Nov 20, 2022 | Counselling and Psychotherapy, Mental Health, Mind-Body Health, Psychology, Stress, Thinking, Trauma
It’s easy to be hard on yourself and doubt your abilities. When discussing the role of thoughts and self-talk with my counselling clients, I’m always attentive to the kinds of words a person uses to describe themselves and their feelings. Using phrases...
by Richard Amaral | Oct 1, 2022 | Attachment Theory, Thinking, Trauma
This past week on September 30th, Canadians marked the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day is also informally known as Orange Shirt Day, where people wear orange shirts to remind themselves of the tragedies and suffering that...
by Richard Amaral | Jul 23, 2022 | Balanced living, Counselling and Psychotherapy, Depression, Emotions, Mental Health, Mind-Body Health, Psychology, Thinking, Trauma
In my last post, I wrote about how we sometimes feel stuck at one or several moments in life and in many different areas (e.g., career, hobbies, spiritual journey, relationships). But while some people can work through this feeling of ‘stuckness,’...
by Richard Amaral | Dec 8, 2021 | All Entries, Counselling and Psychotherapy, Mental Health, Mind-Body Health, Psychology, Stress, Trauma
While every therapist has their own style and approach to working with psychological pain caused by trauma, I find there are two common objectives that both clients and therapists share regardless of theoretical orientation. These objectives are: (1) Increase a...
by Richard Amaral | Dec 1, 2021 | All Entries, Counselling and Psychotherapy, Emotions, Family Violence, Mind-Body Health, Psychology, Trauma
Ever wonder why some people get traumatized over something relatively minor while others seem to handle adversity with little stress? While there is no one specific answer, a few factors can contribute to why some people seem to bounce back while others do not. In...