Acorn Counselling

11/11/2025

𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁

Today, we pause to honour and remember the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of those who served. Their bravery has shaped our communities, and their legacies remind us of the importance of compassion, resilience, and care.

As we reflect, we hold space for all the emotions this day can bring - gratitude, pride, and even sorrow - and we extend kindness to ourselves and others in remembrance.

11/10/2025

When our kids are melting down, it’s easy to get swept into the storm. In those moments, our calm isn’t just helpful — it’s regulation in action. They aren’t misbehaving, their nervous system is dysregulated, and we become the anchor that can help them return to safety

Mantras can be a powerful grounding tool for parents to stay regulated when emotions run high. These short affirming phrases can be just the thing we need to help interrupt our automatic stress response and remind us what’s really happening beneath the behaviour.

Regulation starts with us. When we can steady our breath, soften our tone, and hold boundaries with warmth, we model the very skills our children are still learning 🧠💛

💬What phrase helps you stay grounded when your child’s emotions feel big?

11/07/2025

Today we recognize International Inuit Day.

First declared in 2006 by the Inuit Circumpolar Council, this day honours the birth of Eben Hopson Sr., a visionary leader who worked to unite Inuit voices across the Arctic.

Inuit are one of the three recognized Indigenous groups in Canada, known for their rich culture, language, and deep connection to the land. The word Inuit means “people,” and a single person is an Inuk.

Most Inuit in Canada live across four regions - Nunatsiavut, Nunavik, Nunavut, and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region - together known as Inuit Nunangat, the Inuit homeland.

Today, we celebrate the strength, history, and contributions of Inuit communities in Canada and around the world, and continue our commitment to learning and reconciliation.

10/20/2025

Happy Diwali to everyone celebrating! 🪔

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, celebrates the victory of light over darkness and good over evil, bringing joy, hope, and togetherness.

We hope this season brings warmth, peace, and connection to your home. May it remind us all of the light, hope, and resilience we carry within us.

10/16/2025

💙OCD Awareness Week💙

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can bring intense worry, doubt, and distressing thoughts that feel impossible to control. But there is hope, OCD is highly treatable with the right kind of care.

One of the most effective, evidence-based treatments is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. ERP is hard work and can feel uncomfortable at times, but it allows individuals to start understanding where their thoughts come from and how they impact their lives.

ERP involves facing the thoughts, images, or situations that trigger anxiety (the exposure) while resisting the urge to perform rituals or avoidance behaviours (the response prevention). Over time, this process helps reduce fear, break the OCD cycle, and build confidence in one’s ability to cope. ERP encourages people to face their fears without using compulsions and helps the brain begin to change the danger cues that fuel anxiety.

At Acorn Counselling, we believe in compassionate, evidence-based care that meets families where they are. With understanding, guidance, and support, recovery from OCD is possible - and hope can grow again. 🌱

10/15/2025

🦸‍♂️ Calling All Young Superheroes! 🦸‍♀️

Join us on Friday, October 24th, 2025, for the Superhero Academy PA Day Camp at Acorn Counselling! Designed for children aged 5–8, this one-day adventure blends imaginative play with essential emotional learning.

🌟 Why Enroll Your Child?

🦸‍♂️Build Emotional Resilience: Activities that help kids recognize and manage big feelings.
🦸‍♂️Boost Confidence: Discover inner strengths through superhero-themed challenges.
🦸‍♂️Develop Coping Skills: Engage in fun exercises that teach practical tools for managing stress.
🦸‍♂️Enhance Problem-Solving: Team missions that foster collaboration and creativity.
🦸‍♂️Therapy-Backed Approach: Led by experienced child therapists focusing on social-emotional development.

Spaces are limited! Secure your child's spot today: https://www.acorncounselling.org/pa-day-camp/

📍 Location: Acorn Counselling, 845 Upper James St., Hamilton, ON

Let's empower our little ones to become the heroes of their own stories! 💪✨

10/14/2025

Social skills aren’t just about being polite or getting along - they are the foundation for how children connect, communicate, and build confidence in who they are.

From learning how to share and take turns to recognizing emotions in others, these skills help children:

🧠 Understand themselves - naming feelings helps kids make sense of their inner world.
💬 Communicate clearly - finding words for needs, boundaries, and ideas reduces frustration.
🤝 Build relationships - empathy and perspective-taking help friendships grow and repair.
🌿 Navigate challenges - with problem-solving and flexibility, children recover more easily from setbacks.

Social skills don’t appear all at once - they are learned, practiced, and shaped through experience. When children have chances to play, express emotions, and connect with supportive adults, these everyday interactions become powerful learning moments.

💡 Remember: Emotional and social growth are just as important as academic learning. When we nurture both, children develop the confidence and compassion to thrive - in school, at home, and within themselves.

10/12/2025

Whether this weekend is joyful, quiet, or complicated - may you find small moments of peace and gratitude.

10/10/2025

World Mental Health Day 2025 🌿

World Mental Health Day serves as a powerful reminder that there is no health without mental health. Life can bring crises - whether personal challenges, unexpected events, or larger emergencies - and these experiences can deeply impact emotional well-being.

At Acorn Counselling, we support children, youth, families, and individuals who are facing difficult circumstances. We provide compassionate, evidence-based counselling, safe spaces to be heard, and guidance to help navigate difficult experiences. Supporting mental health in challenging times isn’t just important - it helps people cope, heal, and rebuild, both as individuals and as families.

Mental health thrives when communities come together. Families, schools, community groups, and professionals all play a role in creating environments where support is accessible and resilience is nurtured. By working together, we can ensure that everyone, specially the most vulnerable, has the help they need to thrive.

On this World Mental Health Day, we honour the courage of those facing challenges, the strength of families supporting one another, and the power of communities fostering well-being. 💚

10/08/2025

Today in our staff meeting, we reflected as therapists on the importance of self-care - not just as something we encourage in our clients, but as a practice we intentionally nurture ourselves. It reminded us how vital it is to care for our own well-being, even in a culture that moves fast.

We live in a culture that thrives on speed, productivity, and constant results. It’s easy to get swept up in doing more, giving more, achieving more… and forget that our own roots need care too.

As a team, we reminded each other: like an oak tree, we grow strongest when we are deeply grounded. Self-care is what keeps us steady, resilient, and able to show up fully - for our clients, our loved ones, and ourselves.

✨ Let your care be as rooted as an oak - steady, intentional, and unwavering, even in a world that moves fast.

We would love to hear from you. What’s one intentional act of self-care you’re rooting into your week?

10/07/2025

Why are social skills so important in early childhood?

Between ages 5–8, kids are learning how to:
🤝 Take turns
🗣️ Express ideas and feelings
🌱 Cooperate in group play
❤️ Handle conflict and repair friendships

But for many children, these skills don’t come easily. Shyness, frustration, or trouble joining in can make peer connections feel tricky.

👉 Without support, kids may withdraw, feel left out, or develop lower confidence in social settings.
👉 With gentle practice, children can learn to share, negotiate, and connect in ways that help them feel included and valued.

✨ That’s why we created Big Feelings, Brave Hearts, an 8-week group where children ages 5–8 get to:
✔️ Practice sharing, turn-taking, and cooperation
✔️ Learn communication and problem-solving through games
✔️ Build confidence in social settings
✔️ Try new friendship skills in a supportive space

10/01/2025

🤝 Friendships in pre-teen years can be wonderful—but also overwhelming.

Many girls ages 9–12 face challenges like:
💔 Feeling left out
⚡ Conflict or drama with peers
😟 Worrying about fitting in
🚪 Withdrawing or shutting down when things get tough

Without guidance, these struggles can increase anxiety and self-doubt. But with support, girls can learn to:
💬 Communicate their needs and feelings
🔑 Set healthy boundaries
🌈 Choose friendships that uplift them
💪 Navigate conflict with courage and kindness

✨ That’s the heart of The Power of Me—an 8-week empowerment group for pre-teen girls.

Through art, storytelling, and guided conversations, girls practice:
✔️ Building healthy, supportive friendships
✔️ Trusting their own voice
✔️ Feeling seen, heard, and valued in a safe space

Fall Registration Now Open! Visit our website to register - www.acorncounselling.org/groups

Discover techniques for pr***en girls empowerment in a supportive environment focused on self-worth and emotional resilience.