Abuse prevention: Hollywood vs Real Life Abuse
November 25, 2021 | Self Care, Social Justice, Society
I often hear people say, “my experience wasn’t abusive because it wasn’t that bad.” Sometimes, this is a defense mechanism: if they don’t acknowledge it as abuse, they don’t have to deal with it the same way. Other times, people make comments like these because of a genuine belief that abuse has to look a…
Having hope as a rebellion
August 10, 2021 | General, Mind, Social Justice, Society
I was recently chatting with two very good friends about systemic problems that have been bringing us down. We talked about the anguish around the climate emergency and anxiety over the disappearing COVID-19 regulations in our province, among others. In my conversation with them, we found our way to the issue of hope. How do…
How we can support Indigenous Peoples’ wellness
June 21, 2021 | General, Social Justice, Society
In honour of Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day, I wanted to talk about how we can support Indigenous Peoples’ wellness as healthcare professionals, and the importance of cultural competency. These dates aim to celebrate the culture, experiences and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and learn more about their history….
Racial discrimination: What we can do
March 21, 2021 | General, Social Justice, Society
March 21st is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This date also kickstarts a Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling Against Racism and Racial Discrimination. It commemorates the 1960 massacre in Sharpeville, South Africa, where police killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against the apartheid pass laws. Talking about racial discrimination…
On BIPOC mental health and stigma
July 21, 2020 | Social Justice, Society
First recognized in 2008 in honour of Bebe Moore Campbell, USAmerican author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate, BIPOC (formerly Minority) Mental Health Awareness Month aims to shed light to the fact that BIPOC and other historically excluded groups are often less likely to receive diagnosis and treatment for mental illness, receive a poorer quality…
The traumatizing experience of systemic discrimination
June 29, 2020 | General, Social Justice, Society, Therapeutic Process, Trauma
I’ve always thought it strange that we have the “day of” or the “month of” in our calendars. I think it often ends up as a perfunctory exercise on performative involvement, or as a marketing strategy at worst. Despite this, today I’d like to choose a less cynical, more hopeful outlook, and focus on thinking…
On activism, race, and privilege
June 01, 2020 | General, Social Justice, Society
I am an immigrant woman; I have an accent. I’ve been told my skin is too light and I’m white passing. I’ve actually been told, “to me you’re white!” which hurt because, guess what, I am Latina. My experiences and background align with my identity of Latina, too. On the other hand, I’ve also heard…
Learning to trust again after pain
May 29, 2020 | Anxiety, Connection, General, Society
When I work on the issue of trust with my clients, I like to tell them that we all need to trust each other. We need to trust that the driver next to us knows what they’re doing, we need to trust the grocery store will be stocked with what we need, we need to…
The importance of vulnerability
February 20, 2020 | Connection, Emotions, Society
Is there a feeling quite like vulnerability? It can open us raw and leave us tender, and it can be followed by some of the most powerful experiences of love or rejection. So, what is the importance of vulnerability? Why would we choose to be vulnerable when the stakes are so high? That’s such an…
Let us celebrate the Season
December 25, 2019 | General, Society, Universe
For thousands of years, the winter solstice was a time of feast and abundance; a season to celebrate the sun’s return to life. There was food, gift-giving, and gatherings. So much of it we can still see today, interwoven with so many cultures. As we approach the new gregorian year, in whichever way you celebrate…