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The United States is currently involved in a number of combat situations in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is increasing awareness among researchers and mental health professionals that there are a number of health and mental health problems that returning veterans are experiencing in their return from combat. Many returning veterans are presenting to medical professionals with emotional distress that is primarily being attributed to their experiences in these violent situations. Researchers are beginning to analyze what this means for this demographic, and how to best assist them in navigating the difficulties that they are experiencing. [More]

Are you angry and bitter every time you think of someone who has wronged you? If so, you're human but also probably living a more stressful and unhealthy life than you need to be. The problem with allowing others to control our emotions is that we cannot control what others do. If someone doesn't live up to our standards and expectations we allow them to destroy our happiness. We think that they have to do something in order to allow us to move forward. [More]

June is PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) awareness month. This year we are joining the National Center for PTSD to raise awareness. The National Center for PTSD is part of the Veteran’s Affairs Administration (VA). As such, they support agencies and organizations who provide services to veterans with PTSD. [More]

Many people have lost a parent, but very few people have had to deal with the pain of losing a child. It can be a really difficult thing to go through if you're a parent, and sometimes, the pain that fathers deal with during it is left behind. Both mothers and fathers have to work through the heartache, albeit differently, so it's important to take a look at that pain and see what we can do in order to help our way through it. Father's Day is coming up, and this day can be incredibly painful and heartbreaking for fathers who have lost a child in some way, shape or form. [More]

What is reflection? Reflection means taking time to think in a relaxed, unhurried way about ourselves, our lives and important issues. So often we do our thinking in circumstances where we feel pressured to find instant solutions and conclusions. Reflection is a slower, deeper, less structured form of thinking that is not aimed at providing quick answers. Thus, it is one good way to increase our self-awareness. [More]

I do not believe that counselling needs to be isolated and enclosed within four walls… what happens in sessions should be able to be used on the outside, in someone’s lived life. Sometimes this is called experiential therapy and is why I believe that horses help creating practical applications of the utmost importance. Can you imagine having 40 acres and five horses as a part of the counselling experience? What kind of a world would that create to allow the freedom to explore and express yourself. [More]

When trauma affects one person in a family, the whole family unit is affected. In fact, many professionals believe that anything that affects one person in a family (or couple) will also affect the other(s). It is easy to see how this could happen. A family is thought of a unit – one whole made of many parts. [More]

In the last blog, “Trauma Informed Care; The Details of Care”, the risk and protective factors were named and highlighted closing with the statement that Trauma informed care involves the closely interrelated triad of; understanding, commitment, and practice. [More]

Whether you are working with people who have experienced trauma or you have experienced it yourself, it is helpful to understand some of the changes that you might witness. [More]

It is my belief that solidarity can touch both clinician and anyone accessing services. In an individualistic world we are bombarded by messages that we need to be able to do things on our own and it permeates through our being, influencing our action. However this is completely contrary to our nature. We are born dependant and needing to be cared for and we thrive in community. Therefore the concept of solidarity is necessary and takes belonging to the next level. [More]