Tag: Counseling

Sometimes, the Answer Lies in the “How,” Not the “Why”

We often search for answers to life’s big questions: “Why did this happen to me?”… “Why didn’t that?”… “What’s the point of it all?”…

We feel like we need to have the answers in order to relax, let go, carry on with life, and feel happy. This is the nature of the human brain. We think, theorize, and analyze for the sake of accomplishing practical tasks, which can be helpful and exciting in many ways. However, emotionally speaking, the thinking brain has the potential to do a lot of harm.

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Unlikely Inspiration For Meaningful Change

In a few weeks I’ll be speaking at the South Eastern region Hospice Palliative Care conference about the value of integrative medicine for people who are dying. To help me prepare, I’ve been reading Die Wise by Stephen Jenkins, a philosophical and critical exploration of the phobia our culture has about death. This manifesto (as he calls it), would seem the least likely place for inspiration for New Year’s resolutions! In fact, of all the happiness and change-your-life books I’ve come across, this one offered me the deepest motivation and inspiration for making meaningful change in my life.

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Get More this Christmas by Giving Less

The holiday season is officially upon us. We can’t deny it any longer.

For some people, this stirs up feelings of stress and anxiety.

The pressure is on to get the shopping done, put up the tree, hang the lights, decorate the house, prepare baking, wrap the presents, send out cards, attend work parties, visit the in-laws, keep the kids entertained, shovel the driveway, make the perfect dinner, travel, and, oh yes, if there’s any time left over, actually enjoy the season!

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Mindful Forgiveness: Finding Peace in the Hurt

 

For many, forgiveness is viewed as a way of giving in, making allowances or excuses, letting another person “win,” or showing weakness.

For the unforgiving, grudges are held, intense emotions are clung onto with a sense of desperation, for the purpose of fighting back, trying to obtain justice, or somehow attempting to prove a point or change what was done in the past.

However, resisting forgiveness in this way is exhausting, defeating, and ultimately, a way of letting the other person take control over you.

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On Starting Something New: How to Embrace & Own Change

Change is stressful, especially when it’s unexpected change. But even planned, positive change can put you on your toes!

People have a general tendency to fear the unknown. Oftentimes, we’d rather stick with what we know because it’s familiar and, well, let’s face it, the familiar is comfortable. When we look into a future of unknowns it tends to feel largely out of our control, and this lack of control is what tends to make us feel stressed. So, when we think about starting something new, we might hesitate, make excuses, or save the change for “one day when…”

How is it, then, that you can stop procrastinating and actually make change happen?

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The Importance of Reconnecting with Your Values

(3.5 min read)  We all get lost from time to time. That’s part of being human.

Sometimes life throws you unexpected curve balls, but sometimes you make a series of conscious decisions that, without you even realizing it at the time, end up throwing you so far off course that you wake up with the sudden realization, one day, that you hardly even recognize yourself anymore.

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We respectfully acknowledge that Kingston Integrated Healthcare is situated on ancestral Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory. Since time immemorial they have cared for these lands and waters, and we are grateful. We recognize that a healthy environment is essential to the wellbeing of all people and all life.


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