Counselling & coaching for teens (13+), young adults & parents. Confidence, life skills, anxiety, ADHD & real-life mental health support.
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Author of Not Today, Frank! Practical, conversational support that fits real life. I support teens (13+), young adults, and parents through counselling and coaching focused on confidence, life skills, emotional regulation, and mental health. Iโm also the author of Not Today, Frank! โ a practical, relatable book that helps teens understand anxiety, confidence, and growing up without pressure or fluff. My work is conversational, supportive, and grounded in real life, offering families practical guidance that fits their schedules and what theyโre navigating right now.
03/22/2026
๐ฆ๐ผ๐๐น๐ณ๐๐น ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐
Heading into this week, if things feel off with work, family dynamics, or friendshipsโฆtry stepping back instead of leaning in harder.๐ถโโ๏ธ๐ถ
Sometimes thatโs what opens the door again.๐ช
Because pushing too hard usually backfires.
๐Stepping back gives everyone a moment to resetโand thatโs often where ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ.
Have a good week everyone!
03/22/2026
If ๐๐ฃ๐ญ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ is showing up in your homeโฆ this one's for you.
Parenting a teen or young adult with anxiety can leave you unsure of what to say or do next.
In April Iโm offering a ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ for parents
to help you understand whatโs going on and how to respond in ways that actually help.
These are the kinds of real-life skills we build in my private sessions and workshopsโsimple, practical, and actually useful when it matters.
If your pr***en, teen, or young adult gets overwhelmed, holds things in, or struggles with social situations or friendships, working with me is a great place to start.
๐ง๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด.
We canโt expect kids to handle big moments without the skills in place yet.
Whether itโs stress, friendships, or navigating social dynamics, these are skillsโnot instincts.
๐Confidence from the inside out is more than a skillโitโs a lifelong gift you give your child.
Iโd love to see some new faces join us. You can learn more or reserve a spot here: ๐๐๐.๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ๐.๐ฐ๐ฎ/๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ๐
03/15/2026
One thing I notice often in my work with kids and young adultsโฆ
We usually wait until this young person is already struggling before we reach out for support.
๐When friendships get complicated and they become isolated.
๐When anxiety becomes so big they stop going to school.
๐When school pressure rises in the subjects they struggle with.
๐When they canโt express themselves and it shows up as anger.
Support matters, and sometimes counselling is an important part of that work โ and I provide that support when itโs needed.
But often, underneath these situations is something else.
Because what can look like ๐๐ฃ๐ญ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ, ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ง, ๐ค๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐๐ก is sometimes a young person who simply hasnโt learned how to navigate the situation yet.
โ A social skill.
โ An executive functioning skill.
โ A communication skill.
When those skills havenโt had a chance to develop yet, young people donโt just feel uncomfortable โ they feel stuck.
So it can look like anxiety, depression and overwhelm.
If we step back and look at the bigger picture, the question becomes:
๐๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ?
Confidence doesnโt appear out of nowhere.
It grows when skills are taught, practised, and repeated.
Sometimes the question isnโt โ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด?โ
Sometimes the question is simply:
โ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ธ๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ปโ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐๐ด๐ต๐ ๐๐ฒ๐?โ
Have you seen moments like this with your child? Iโd be curious to hear.
03/14/2026
Confidence doesnโt start on the outside.
It starts in the moments no one sees.
Itโs the voice inside that says,
๐โI can try.โ
๐โI can handle this.โ
๐โIโll recover if itโs awkward.โ
Ages 9 to 12 is when that inner voice gets louder โ for better or worse.
This 4-week small-group series, for AGES 9 to 12, is focused on building confidence from the inside out โ not performative confidence, not fake-it confidence โ real, steady confidence.
๐ช๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ:
โ Trying without perfection
โ Handling embarrassment without shutting down
โ Speaking up even when your voice shakes
โ Recovering after social missteps
๐ Date: Tuesday, March 24 | 6:30โ8:00pm
๐ Location: YOMA โ Youth of Manotick (1136C Mill Street)
๐๏ธ Length: 4 weeks
๐ฏ Theme #1: Confidence from the Inside Out
๐ฅ Group Size: 8โ12 participants
๐ Certificate: Awarded upon completion of all four sessions
Grateful for everyone who took the time to step away from the pace of everyday life to attend last nightโs workshop on ADHD.
Parenting teens and young adults with ADHD can feel complex and exhausting at times. Choosing to understand how their brains work instead of simply reacting takes real intention.
Thank you for showing up and choosing to learn, even when this journey can feel frustrating and overwhelming at times.
Looking forward to the next workshop and continuing this work together. ๐
Have a good day everyone!
03/11/2026
03/10/2026
REMINDER! WEDNESDAY FREE 1 hr ONLINE WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS & CAREGIVERS - Practical tools re ADHD. Register www.healthyroutes.ca/workshops
03/09/2026
If your child is capableโฆ
๐๐ช๐ฉ ๐๐๐จ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ.
Thatโs not a personality flaw.
๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ธ๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฝ. ๐ช
Confidence is not something kids โgrow into.โ
Itโs something they practice.
This 4-week small group is built for Ages 9 to 12 who are ready to:
โ Stop shrinking in social settings
โ Learn how to stand up for themselves
โ Manage worries without spiraling
โ Speak clearly instead of shutting down
Families can choose the theme that fits their child best โ or complete the full series for layered growth.
๐ Date: Tuesday, March 24 | 6:30โ8:00pm
๐ Location: YOMA โ Youth of Manotick (1136C Mill Street)
๐๏ธ Length: 4 weeks
๐ฏ Theme #1: Confidence from the Inside Out
๐ฅ Group Size: 8โ12 participants
๐ Certificate: Awarded upon completion of all four sessions
Small group. Practical skills. Real growth.
In partnership with YOMA.
Click the link below to register.๐ www.healthyroutes.ca/workshops
And if you know a family raising a thoughtful but hesitant child โ sharing this may make a difference.
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The road of life for youth is full of pressures, expectations, and goals. With so much to do, youth spend almost all of their time trying to figure out which route to take, and how they can achieve their goals. It is hard to stay positive on a journey full of unexpected bumps and roadblocks.
Healthy Routes works with parents to help them empathize with their teens, and to navigate along with them through the complex adolescent years. Increasingly, issues related to screen time, virtual presence and digital footprints cause household conflict. Though teens can quickly become adept with the newest apps available on their devices, parents and guardians are often struggling to keep up. With that in mind, Healthy Routes offers workshops on how various social media platforms work and the dangers they present to our mental and emotional health, as well as other facets of our lives and our wellness.
Social Routes is the sister social media management company through which I keep in touch with the trends and changes taking place on some of todayโs popular platforms. Most important, though, it is also where I work, in a small way, to make social media a place for communities to grow, rather than a breeding ground for negativity. You can also follow me on Social Routes (https://www.facebook.com/SocialRoutes/) for more information about this fresh approach to engagement for small businesses through the use of wellness principles.
In order to help youth reach their full potential in the 21st century, we also offer a series of life skills workshops to adolescents between the ages of 9 and 15. Our C *H*A*T SERIES (Confident, Happy, Assertive, Tween/teen). The goal of these workshops is to promote self-awareness, resiliency and a positive growth mindset. These workshops provide practical tools that can guide youth in managing conflict, toxic relationships, stress, as well as a healthy approach to screen time and online interactions.
Whether you are looking for workshops for either you or your teen or some practical, non-therapeutic advice and coaching for yourself, Healthy Routes is here to support you. If you are interested in continuing to develop and nurture strong connections with the teens in your home, get in touch and weโll talk about bringing the healthy positivity back.
