Rise Wellness Collective

02/23/2026

Collective stress is still stress.

When there's a lot happening in the world, your body doesn't categorize it as "Global" or "local". It just registers threat, uncertainty, change.

That can look like irritability. Fatigue. Numbness. Trouble focusing.

Nothing is "wrong" with you.
Your nervous system is responding to context.

If you've been feeling off lately, you're not alone and you don't have to sort through it by yourself.

01/26/2026

I don’t always share the in-between moments here. but they matter.

This week I’m starting EMDR training and continuing therapy dog training with Chip.

I’ll be sharing pieces of both in my stories and saving them as highlights.

Slow, intentional work counts too.

01/23/2026

One of the biggest myths about therapy is that it's only for people who lack self-awareness.

In reality, many people are very aware of their patterns and still feel stuck.

Therapy isn't about discovering your issues. It's about helping your nervous system do something different when it matters most.

And it's not just for crisis. Therapy can be preventative, especially for kids who are still learning how to regulate, communicate, and cope. (Not to mention, prevention is more cost effective than intervention).

You don't have to wait until things fall apart to ask for support.

12/29/2025

I wrote about a scuba diving experience that triggered a strong nervous system response, and how understanding what was happening helped me approach it differently.

It’s a personal story, but also one about anxiety, regulation, and listening to the body rather than fighting it.

Sharing here in case it resonates.

What happened when I went scuba diving with anxiety — and what my nervous system taught me about regulation, trauma, and healing.

12/25/2025

Learning what was happening in my nervous system didn't change the outcome.
It didn't make me invincible.

But it gave me language, strategy, and choice.
And THAT changed the outcome.

Sometimes understanding isn't the cure.
Sometimes its the bridge.
(Part 5 of 5)

12/24/2025

I didn't understand what had happened yet.
I was told it was common.
So I tried again.

Looking back, I wasn't ignoring my body.
I just didn't have a framework for what it was telling me.

There's a difference.
(Part 4/5)

12/22/2025

This was the most confusing part for me.

I didn't feel "on the edge".
I didn't get a clear warning.
My body just reacted.

When the body takes over without explanation, it can feel kind of terrifying and deeply disorienting.
(Part 3/5)

12/19/2025

I know how to regulate anxiety.
I use breath all the time.

This time, it didn't help.
And that was unsettling in a way I didn't expect.

Not every tool works in every body, in every context.
That doesn't mean you're doing it wrong.

(Part 2 of 5)

12/17/2025

I tried something new.
I really wanted to love it.
And for a while, I did.

This isn't a lesson or a warning.
It's just the beginning of a real experience, one that didnt go the way I expected.

More to come.
(Part 1 of 5).

10/14/2025

If you’re a teacher sitting in the uncertainty of the strike right now, I want you to hear this: you’re not doing nothing, you’re recovering.

Whether you’re still waiting, bargaining, or preparing to return, your nervous system needs space to exhale.

I wrote this open letter for every educator feeling the weight of this season, and for anyone who’s ever cared so deeply they forgot to care for themselves.

If you’re a teacher right now, sitting in the uncertainty of the strike, waiting to see what happens next, I want you to hear this:You are allowed to rest. You’ve been carrying more than anyone should have to.You’ve been showing up for your students, managing complex needs with minimal support...

10/12/2025

I burned out as an educator for the same reasons teachers are striking now in Alberta.

There are too many students with complex needs and not enough supports in a system that demands compassion and offers none.

I still remember the day my husband found me crying and asked the kids "Who Broke Mommy?" But burnout isn't being broken. Its a biological response. Chronic stress rewires the brain and traps our nervous system in survival mode.

You're not weak. You're human. And you were never meant to carry it alone.

I wrote more about this in my most recent blog post: "Who Broke Mommy? The Neuroniology of Burnout and Why the Teacher Strike Hits So Deep". The link is in my bio, if you want to feel seen.

10/07/2025

I burned out as a teacher for the exact same reasons educators are striking right now. Too many students with complex needs, not enough support, and a system that demands compassion while offering none.

The current strike hits home for me because I’ve lived it. In this post, I explore the neurobiology of burnout and what happens when our nervous systems stay in survival mode for too long. And why it’s not weakness, it’s biology.

https://risewellnesscollective.ca/2025/10/06/who-broke-mommy-the-neurobiology-of-burnout-and-why-the-teacher-strike-hits-so-deep/