My mom is basically a sweet, petite, gentle woman. She loves her grandchildren and is dedicated to exercise and healthy living. She volunteers in the community and helps out those in need. She’s really quite mild mannered. Until she knits… or…. attempts to knit. Then there is a steady string of expletives hissed under her breath. The stitches are too loose and fall off the needles or are so tight
Do you ever have those less than stellar parenting moments that lead you to wonder if your kids will be telling a therapist all about you in 30 years? Do you worry that you’re screwing up your kids? Let me assure you, an occasional raised voice or an episode when your kids see you in tears is not the kind of thing they’ll talk about years later on a therapist’s
Have you ever had a friend speak to you like this: You are SO pathetic!!! How can you even stand to hear yourself speak?! Ugh. You are the most boring person I know. Can’t you talk about anything interesting? You’re so stupid. Of course no one loves you, you’re miserable. No one would ever want to be with you, you have no value. You’re so fat, look at your
Lose weight Stick to exercise plan Get organized Improve relationship Find relationship Yell less Snuggle more Move ahead Slow down Sound familiar? These are some of the most common resolutions I hear at The Nook. People set BIG goals, determined that This Year Will Be Different. This year will be completely different. People are pumped up, excited, and ready to begin turning over a brand new leaf. But their approach
‘tis the season of Norman Rockwell. You know what I mean; at this time of year every ad and commercial, every movie and song tells you it’s time to be surrounded by family and cuddled up with a loved one. Everything from jewelers to coffee companies lambaste us with the message TogetherTogetherTogether. Commercials sell us images of one big love in of compassion, caring, and connecting. But for many,
“I feel like a different person” “I just can’t really believe it” “I never imagined it could be like this” The past two weeks at The Nook have been one big love in for many of my clients. They are falling in love with their careers, new partners (old partners), and even themselves. As I’ve talked about before, issues show up at my practice in waves – one week it’s
Do you have a favourite day of the week? A favourite time of day? Fridays are a day of rituals in my life. Coffee (for me) & breakfast pastries (for the kids) from my local coffee shop. Catch up on paperwork at home. Squeeze in a yoga class or go for a walk. Browse Joanna Goddard’s fun roundup for the week. Movie night with the kids snuggled on the sofa
Margot’s alarm goes off and she press snooze just one more time… (for the fifth time). The day ahead of her is full of tasks and drudgery with no bright spot on the horizon. Slogging through the weeks has become Margot’s norm and she drags her body through the day. Her resting face has become a frown. Margot’s battery is at eight percent and declining rapidly. Molly wakes in
Do you think you’re a good driver? Of a car, bicycle, scooter, or buggy, it doesn’t matter which. I quite love driving (especially shift) and I like to think that I am a competent, conscientious motorist. I signal to switch lanes, I (mostly) obey the speed limit, I plan my route in advance, and allow people to merge. I’ve driven in many of Canada’s major cities, Los Angeles (crazy),
When’s the last time you felt playful? I’m talking about really and truly losing yourself in a great game. Maybe tennis or team sports are your thing. Maybe you play a great game of let’s pretend ‘house’ or ‘school’ with some little people in your life. Lego? Board games? We all need some playfulness in our life. My grandmother is a great example. She’s a 92-year-old, diminutive firecracker of
