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Monday 9am - 8pm Tuesday 9am - 8pm Wednesday 9am - 8pm Thursday 9am - 8pm

http://www.aspenpsychologygroup.com/

Aspen Psychology Group, Suite 120, 1209 59 Avenue SE, Calgary, AB (2026)

02/11/2026

If your heart races before a test, your mind goes blank, or you feel an intense urge to escape the room—your body isn’t failing you.

It’s protecting you.

Test anxiety often activates the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight). Your brain senses pressure or threat and sends your body into survival mode:

• faster heart rate
• shallow breathing
• tense muscles
• racing or looping thoughts

This response is designed to help in emergencies—but during tests, it can make it hard to think clearly.

Here’s the important part:

This isn’t because you’re unprepared or “bad at tests.”

It’s because your nervous system is trying to keep you safe.

The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety—it’s to help your body recognize that a test is not a life-or-death situation.

🌿 Test anxiety is a state, not a reflection of your intelligence.

If you’re experiencing chronic anxiety, overwhelm, or nervous system dysregulation, working with a therapist trained in Polyvagal-informed therapy can help.
Aspen Psychology Group offers support for individuals seeking to regulate their nervous system and restore a felt sense of safety.

01/26/2026

When your nervous system is stuck in fight-or-flight, the goal isn’t to “calm down.”
The goal is to signal safety—over and over again.

Here are 7 gentle, science-backed ways to help your nervous system shift toward regulation and connection (ventral vagal state):

1️⃣ Slow the exhale
Longer exhales tell the brain you’re safe.

2️⃣ Gentle rhythmic breathing
Consistency matters more than depth.

3️⃣ Humming, singing, or soft vocalization
Your vagus nerve responds to sound and vibration.

4️⃣ Safe place imagery
The nervous system responds to what feels real—imagined safety counts.

5️⃣ Slow, mindful movement
Think walking, stretching, rocking—not pushing.

6️⃣ Co-regulation
A calm, attuned presence is one of the strongest regulators we have.

7️⃣ Body awareness without judgment
Notice sensations with curiosity, not urgency.

None of these are about “fixing” you.

They’re about reminding your body that the danger has passed.
🌿 Regulation is a practice—not a personality trait.

If you’re experiencing chronic anxiety, overwhelm, or nervous system dysregulation, working with a therapist trained in Polyvagal-informed therapy can help.
Aspen Psychology Group offers support for individuals seeking to regulate their nervous system and restore a felt sense of safety.

01/25/2026

When your nervous system is stuck in survival mode.

If you feel constantly on edge—racing thoughts, tight chest, restlessness, irritability, or an urgent need to do something—your nervous system may be spending a lot of time in sympathetic activation.

This state is often called fight or flight, and it exists for a reason.

The sympathetic nervous system mobilizes energy to protect you when there is threat. It sharpens focus, increases heart rate, and prepares the body to act. It’s meant to turn on briefly—and then turn off.

But chronic stress, trauma, pressure, or repeated overwhelm can teach the nervous system that danger is ongoing. When safety hasn’t been felt consistently, the body stays alert—even in moments that look “safe” from the outside.

This isn’t anxiety because you’re weak.

It’s survival because your system learned to adapt.

The goal isn’t to shut this response down.

It’s to help the nervous system feel safe enough to shift.

🌿 Survival mode is not who you are—it’s a state your body learned.
And with the right support, your nervous system can learn something new.

If you’re experiencing chronic anxiety, overwhelm, or nervous system dysregulation, working with a therapist trained in Polyvagal-informed therapy can help.
Aspen Psychology Group offers support for individuals seeking to regulate their nervous system and restore a felt sense of safety.

regulation

01/25/2026

Why We Get Stuck in the Sympathetic State

Ever feel like your body is stuck in go-mode—racing thoughts, tight chest, constant urgency—even when life looks “fine” on the outside?

This isn’t a failure of mindset or willpower.

It’s biology.

Your autonomic nervous system is designed to keep you safe. When it detects a threat (real or perceived), it shifts into the sympathetic state—fight or flight. This is meant to be temporary.

But chronic stress, trauma, emotional overwhelm, or a lack of safety cues can teach the nervous system that danger is ongoing. When that happens, the system doesn’t reset easily.

According to Polyvagal Theory (Stephen Porges), the nervous system is always asking:

“Am I safe?”

If the answer feels like “not yet,” the body stays mobilized—alert, tense, scanning.
Being “stuck” in sympathetic activation isn’t something you’re doing wrong.

It’s a nervous system that learned to survive.

And the good news?

Nervous systems are plastic. With repeated experiences of safety, they can learn a new baseline.

✨ Regulation is not about forcing calm—it’s about restoring safety.

If you’re experiencing chronic anxiety, overwhelm, or nervous system dysregulation, working with a therapist trained in Polyvagal-informed therapy can help.
Aspen Psychology Group offers support for individuals seeking to regulate their nervous system and restore a felt sense of safety.

Reach out for support today (link in bio).

01/24/2026

When your nervous system is stuck in fight-or-flight, the goal isn’t to “calm down.”
The goal is to signal safety—over and over again.

Here are 7 gentle, science-backed ways to help your nervous system shift toward regulation and connection (ventral vagal state):

1️⃣ Slow the exhale
Longer exhales tell the brain you’re safe.

2️⃣ Gentle rhythmic breathing
Consistency matters more than depth.

3️⃣ Humming, singing, or soft vocalization
Your vagus nerve responds to sound and vibration.

4️⃣ Safe place imagery
The nervous system responds to what feels real—imagined safety counts.

5️⃣ Slow, mindful movement
Think walking, stretching, rocking—not pushing.

6️⃣ Co-regulation
A calm, attuned presence is one of the strongest regulators we have.

7️⃣ Body awareness without judgment
Notice sensations with curiosity, not urgency.

None of these are about “fixing” you.

They’re about reminding your body that the danger has passed.
🌿 Regulation is a practice—not a personality trait.

If you’re experiencing chronic anxiety, overwhelm, or nervous system dysregulation, working with a therapist trained in Polyvagal-informed therapy can help.
Aspen Psychology Group offers support for individuals seeking to regulate their nervous system and restore a felt sense of safety.

01/17/2026

Anxiety doesn’t need more reassurance.

It needs calm, confident leadership.

Inspired by Lynn Lyons, this simple shift helps kids learn they can feel anxious — and still cope.

01/13/2026

Anxiety & OCD in Kids: What Parents Need to Know

If your child is struggling with anxiety or OCD, here’s a reframe inspired by Lynn Lyons & Reid Wilson that can change everything:

✨ Anxiety is a process, not the problem.
It’s not about what your child worries about—it’s about how their brain reacts to uncertainty.

✨ Reassurance feeds anxiety.
When we constantly explain or reassure, anxiety learns it was right to sound the alarm.

✨ Externalize anxiety.
Anxiety isn’t who your child is—it’s something their brain does. (“Bossy Brain,” “Worry Voice,” “False Alarm.”)

✨ Anxiety and OCD are different.
• Anxiety wants avoidance and comfort
• OCD demands certainty and rituals
• Both shrink when kids learn they can tolerate discomfort

✨ Confidence comes after courage.
Kids don’t need to feel calm before doing hard things—they need practice doing hard things while anxious.

At Aspen Psychology Group in Calgary, we help parents learn how to respond in ways that reduce anxiety over time—not accidentally reinforce it.

You’re not failing your child.
You’re learning a new way to lead.

🔗 Read the full blog (link in bio)

12/23/2025

Happy holidays from all the therapists at Aspen Psychology Group. We are grateful for the trust you place in us and the opportunity to support you and your family.

12/11/2025

If the holidays don’t feel like “the most wonderful time of the year” for you, you’re not alone.

Whether you’re dealing with grief, conflict, or loneliness, small, intentional choices can help you get through this season with a bit more steadiness and care.

Here are some ideas from Aspen Psychology Group in Calgary:

🌲 Create your own version of “happy holidays”
Not “happy all the time,” but:
• Moments of genuine comfort
• Honest connections
• Choices that honour your limits

🤝 Find connection in small ways
• Text one safe person and be real: “This time of year is hard for me. Can we talk soon?”
• Join a community event, class, or volunteer shift in Calgary
• Attend an online support group for grief, separation, or mental health

🧷 Ground yourself daily
• Go for a short walk in the winter daylight
• Stretch or move your body gently
• Try grounding:
– 5 things you can see
– 4 things you can feel
– 3 things you can hear
– 2 things you can smell
– 1 thing you can taste

Reach out for support
You don’t have to manage heavy emotions alone. Therapy can help you:
• Process grief and loss
• Navigate complicated family dynamics
• Cope with anxiety and loneliness during the holidays

If you’re in Calgary and this season feels overwhelming, Aspen Psychology Group offers compassionate, evidence-based support for individuals, couples, and families.

You’re allowed to make this holiday season gentler, quieter, and more aligned with what you truly need.

📲 Reach out to learn more or book a session. (Link in our Bio)

12/09/2025

The holidays in Calgary can be full of lights and celebration… but not for everyone.

If you’re grieving, feeling alone, or dreading tense family gatherings, this season might feel heavy instead of happy. That doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you—it means you’re human.

Here are a few gentle ways to care for yourself this year:

✨ Give yourself permission to feel
You don’t have to be cheerful because it’s December. Sadness, anger, numbness, and relief are all valid.

✨ Change or pause traditions
If old routines are painful, it’s okay to do things differently:
• Light a candle for someone you’ve lost
• Make a new “holiday for one” ritual (walks, movies, books, journaling)
• Host or join a low-pressure “friends-mas” or potluck

✨ Set boundaries that protect you
You’re allowed to:
• Limit how long you stay at gatherings
• Say “I’m not comfortable talking about that”
• Skip events that feel unsafe or too draining

✨ Plan for hard days
Identify the dates or events that might be toughest and ask:
• Who can I text or call if I’m overwhelmed?
• Where can I take a break (a short walk, another room, your car)?
• What helps me ground myself (breathing, music, journaling)?

You don’t have to love the holidays to get through them with care and intention.

If this season feels especially hard, psychologists at Aspen Psychology Group in Calgary are here to support you through grief, loneliness, and family stress.

🧠 Save this post as a reminder for the harder days.
📍 Calgary-based psychology services | Aspen Psychology Group

11/28/2025

It’s beginning to look a lot like 🎄Christmas 🎄 here at Aspen Psychology! 🎅🤶
But for many, this is not the happiest time of the year. If the holidays are difficult or stressful for you come get cozy on one our couches and together we can create a plan to prepare ❤️

11/27/2025

School can be exciting — and stressful. Kids need tools to manage big feelings, academic pressure, and changing expectations. Here are 5 resilience-building strategies, inspired by the work of Dr. Arielle Schwartz and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson 👇

1️⃣ Open Communication
Create a safe space: listen first, validate second, solve last.

2️⃣ Balanced Expectations
Shift the focus from grades to growth. Celebrate effort, curiosity, and persistence.

3️⃣ Predictable Routines
Kids thrive on structure. Routines help regulate the nervous system and make transitions easier.

4️⃣ Model Healthy Coping
Kids learn through co-regulation. Let them see you breathe, pause, name emotions, and reset.

5️⃣ Advocacy at School
Partner with teachers, learning support teams, and counsellors. Support doesn’t stop at home.

✨ Resilience is not about avoiding difficulty — it’s about knowing you are supported as you move through it.

For support with child anxiety, emotional regulation, or school stress, our team at Aspen Psychology Group is here to help. More resources are available through our bio link.

Aspen Psychology Group

02/11/2026

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Monday	9am - 8pm
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