Lighthouse Wholeness

04/23/2026

Well… this is a new one.

Sometime recently, one of the five little lighthouse fixtures from the front of my office decided to… relocate without permission. I’d love to believe it’s off living its best life, but I have a feeling it just took a wrong turn.

Those pieces weren’t just decor—they’re part of a small effort to make this corner of Callander a bit brighter. Losing one might seem minor, but it does take away from that intention.

So here’s the honest ask: if you have it (or know where it ended up), please return it—no questions asked, no hard feelings. Good faith goes a long way, and so does community.

Let’s keep making Callander beautiful… together. 🌿

04/22/2026

04/18/2026

Youth Glow Dance Party at Elmwood ✨

Join us for a fun, high-energy afternoon at Elmwood Community Hub in support of local youth programs!

🗓 Sunday, April 26, 2026
⏰ 1:00–3:00 PM
📍 140 Elmwood Ave, North Bay
🎟 Tickets: $15 (all attendees require a ticket)
🔗 https://elmwoodglowdance.eventbrite.ca

What to expect:
• Music, lights, and a glow dance experience with professional DJ
• Glow sticks and accessories for sale ($1 each)
• Juice, water, and snacks for sale ($1 each)
• A separate quiet room for kids who may need a break
• “V.I.T. (Very Important Toddler)” section – a roped-off, mat-lined area for little ones to safely dance and play

This event is for youth 13 and under, and all children must be accompanied by a caregiver.

All proceeds support Elmwood’s free programs and services for children, youth, and families in our community.

Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DcNE71McP/

Thank you to All Shelter, Friends Forever, House Party, Vaughan Paper and Food Basics for their support.

04/16/2026

Have you heard of the turtle theory? I think we could all learn a lesson from it. Not looking at what others are doing, but focusing on our own path. Knowing that as long as we keep going, we will get to the shore. The idea that just because someone gets there first does not mean they did it best. No, patience, my friends. Slow and steady, just like the turtles. 🐢

04/13/2026

Sometimes life feels like a battle. What's going to make us stronger? If we show up as an ally or enemy in this battle. Self-compassion allows us to show up for ourselves as an ally with help, encouragement, and support.

04/01/2026

Turns out, plants make pretty great co-therapists 🌿

Somewhere between watering, repotting, and the occasional “why are you struggling in perfect conditions?” moment, I’ve found a lot of parallels—both for myself and in my work with clients. Growth isn’t always pretty, it’s rarely linear, and sometimes things need the right environment (and a little extra care) to really thrive.

I’ll be honest—there are days my own mental health feels a bit like a droopy houseplant. And just like with plants, the fix isn’t instant. But slowing down, getting my hands in the soil, and reconnecting with something living helps me reset in a way talk alone sometimes can’t.

Bringing horticultural therapy into psychotherapy creates space for reflection, regulation, and a different kind of conversation—one that doesn’t always need words. Plus, plants are excellent at holding silence without making it awkward 😂

03/27/2026

Happy Friday! Hello weekend☀️

03/25/2026

Whether it’s dirt, clay or paint - working with our hands seems to bring another level of regulation, curiosity, and consequently openness into the therapy room 🎨🪴

& I will always be here for it 🙌🏻

02/28/2026

If the ache feels close to the surface tonight, don’t force it back down.

Some pain lingers because it was never given language. Whatever you’re carrying, let it live somewhere else for a while.

A page.
A prayer.
A melody humming in the dark.

Write it.
Whisper it.
Shape it into something that can breathe outside of you.

You deserve a body that feels like home, not a storage unit for unspoken grief.

You do not have to hold all of it alone.
꩜ Ella

12/16/2025

I tell my therapist that everything feels like a lot right now.. that I don't have the words or energy to explain it to her this week. She asks me to think about slow, but not the boring kind—slow like when everything finally quiets down. When everything starts to feel calm.

We share stories about one of our favorite animals, the Turtle. I tell her the stories I've learned.. about how the Turtle carries the world on their back. Not because they’re strong in a loud way, but because they’re steady. Turtle moves slow, and slow can be calm. Slow can mean you’re still here.

I sketch the curve of the shell, then another, then another. The lines don’t need to be perfect. She shows me how repeating patterns can calm the nervous system, how shading instead of pressing harder helps when my chest feels tight. I didn’t know art could do that—change what’s happening inside my body.

As I draw, my breathing starts to match my hands. Slow strokes. Soft pressure. The shell becomes layered, protective. I add texture, like armor, like boundaries. Turtle doesn’t rush to explain itself. Turtle doesn’t apologize for needing time.

We talk about how calm doesn’t mean nothing hurts. It just means you’re not fighting every feeling at once. Turtle carries everything—weight, history, responsibility—and still keeps moving. Still chooses the next small step.

I add blue around the turtle, like water, like space. My shoulders drop without me telling them to. For once, my thoughts aren’t yelling over each other. They’re quiet. Not gone—just slower. Calmer.

When I’m done, I stare at the drawing longer than I expected to. The turtle looks grounded. Solid. Like it knows where it belongs.

The therapist says I can come back to this feeling—slow and calm—by drawing the shell again, even in my head. I nod, folding the paper carefully. I don’t say it out loud, but I get it now.

Slow isn’t falling behind.
Slow is how I stay steady while carrying my world.

*Permission received to share artwork.
*Narrative is fictitious with elements taken from many sessions.

11/21/2025

You have been asking for this one!

It’s a big year.
Starting secondary school means new corridors, new routines, new friendships – and a much bigger world to navigate.

Everything feels louder.
Puberty brings emotional shifts, body changes, and a brain that suddenly reacts more intensely to stress, pressure, and social dynamics.

She’s still learning.
Her emotional regulation skills are under construction, even when on the surface she looks calm and capable.

Inside, it’s a lot.
Managing friendships, school expectations, identity, and the rapid pace of change can leave her overwhelmed by feelings she doesn’t yet have words for.

She needs understanding.
The “I am 12” statements are a reminder of the inner story she may not be able to explain – but desperately wants adults to know. Masculine version being published later today.

Support helps.
If you’re guiding a young person through this transition, our Managing Big Feelings Toolkit offers brain-based strategies to help them feel safer, steadier, and more understood.
Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.