Author name: Mary Joan Brinson

Every couple has issues – even if their life looks perfect from the outside.  Of course, the honeymoon phase of most relationships can leave us feeling excited and enchanted with each other. However, the honeymoon shine will fade over time and that is perfectly normal. What is also normal is that most relationships can be […]

Covid fatigue is real and it can look like depression. As a second State of Emergency was recently declared in Ontario, many of us are feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, sad and angry. One client described having “decision fatigue” as she faced decisions about how to manage remote learning with her school-age children, her own remote work,

It is even possible to find relief from COVID-19 Fatigue? The answer is YES. And here is a simple guide for you to follow. The 3 Key Approaches for Relief Think: Train your mind and manage what you are thinking (cognitive therapy)Act: Do life-giving activities (behavioural activation)Be: Practice present moment awareness and openness (mindfulness) The 5 Steps to

Traditionally each year one word is chosen to sum up the shared experiences of the year. Collins Dictionary chose lockdown – defined as the imposition of stringent restrictions on travel, social interactions and access to public spaces. Merriam-Webster Dictionary chose pandemic, with runners-up quarantine and asymptomatic. Oxford Languages chose unprecedented – defined as never done

2020 was a hard year. Many people are relieved to see it come to an end. As we begin a new year, we want to hold the hope for better days ahead. Instead of the typical New Year’s resolutions that are typical for the kick-off of a new year, I encourage you to instead ask

New Year’s resolutions are tricky business. They are obligations we put on ourselves to behave. And research shows they are not effective. By February more than 80% of people have abandoned their resolutions. And subsequently, they feel a sense of failure.  What Is a Resolution? We set resolutions based on things we want to change or

This will be a unique holiday season. Navigating the holidays during a pandemic creates a challenge we have never faced. You may feel a heaviness in your heart as you consider time honoured traditions that will need to be adapted or perhaps even cancelled. Feeling sadness and grief as you consider this is normal. Some

Hope is an emotional state that promotes the belief in a positive outcome. Clearly, we need hope, especially in our current world. Can hope really make a difference? The answer is YES. There is increasing evidence that hope changes us psychologically and physiologically. Hope helps us manage anxiety, stress, and cope with adversity. It contributes to

We are a nation of tired people. Many adults suffer from some type of sleep problem – too little sleep, broken sleep or poor quality sleep – leaving us exhausted. The impacts of poor sleep are significant: Increased irritability Reduced pain threshold Poor memory and concentration Increased blood pressure Reduced immune system More prone to

Sleep is important to mental and physical wellbeing. And when we do not get enough good quality sleep, we suffer the consequences. Sadly, many people do not notice the negative effects of poor sleep because they rarely get enough quality sleep and they simply get used to feeling this way. But there is hope to