Cherry Tree Counselling

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Hamilton, ON
Cherry Tree Counselling

Our team provides counselling and psychotherapy services for women and their families. Message us today for your complimentary 15 minute consultation.

At Cherry Tree Counselling we offer confidential & compassionate counselling specializing in women's concerns & perinatal mental health.

11/21/2025

How is SAD diagnosed?

If you’re noticing your energy dip or your mood shift with the seasons, you’re not alone...and it’s worth talking to your healthcare provider or a mental health professional. They may use questionnaires or a short assessment to help determine whether what you’re experiencing meets the criteria for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

A diagnosis typically means:

You’re experiencing symptoms of major depression (or more specific seasonal-related symptoms).

These symptoms show up during the same season, often winter or summer, for at least two consecutive years.

These seasonal episodes happen more often than any depressive symptoms you’ve had at other times in your life.

How is SAD treated?

The good news? There are evidence-based treatments that help. Depending on your needs, your clinician may explore:

✨ Light therapy
✨ Psychotherapy
✨ Antidepressant medication
✨ Vitamin D

These can be used on their own or layered together for more support.

Can SAD be prevented?

Because winter-pattern SAD tends to be predictable, some folks explore starting treatment before symptoms usually show up. Research is still limited on whether early intervention fully prevents SAD, but it’s absolutely a conversation worth having with your provider, especially if you’ve experienced SAD before.

If you’re curious about what support could look like for you, our team at Cherry Tree Counselling is here to help. You can book a call or reach out to connect with a therapist anytime by visiting cherrytreecounselling.ca

11/17/2025

One minute of self-reflection.
Just you, your breath, and a soft pause.

Consider what you’ve learned about yourself lately.
Not the big, life-altering revelations (though those count too)…
but the quiet truths that show up in the in-between moments.

Maybe you’ve learned you need more rest than you used to.
Or that certain conversations drain you faster than you realized.
Maybe you’re noticing what actually helps you feel grounded.
Or what you’re finally ready to let go of.

And honestly?
That’s growth.
The kind that doesn’t announce itself with fireworks...
just a gentle, steady becoming.

Take your minute.
See what rises.
You’re allowed to meet yourself exactly where you are today.

🌿 If reflection feels tender or you’re craving more support in understanding your patterns, you’re not alone.
You can always book a call and we’ll walk alongside you.

11/11/2025

“Behind every criticism is a wish.”

Ever found yourself thinking, “You never listen!” or “Why do you always have to…” and suddenly you’re both caught in a loop of defensiveness and frustration?

Here’s the thing: what sounds like criticism often starts as a wish.

A wish to feel heard.
A wish to feel seen.
A wish to feel like you’re on the same team again.

In couples counselling, we slow things down. Together, we unpack what’s really happening beneath the surface, so you can communicate clearly, listen with empathy, and reconnect in ways that feel safe and authentic.

You don’t have to be the one holding space and trying to repair things at the same time. That’s where we come in. A trusted therapist guides the process, supporting both of you with care, curiosity, and compassion.

Whether you’re working through a tough season or simply wanting to strengthen your connection, it’s never too early (or too late) to reach out.

✨ Book a free, no-pressure consult today. We’ll answer your questions, ease any worries, and help you find a plan that fits.

Book now at cherrytree.janeapp.com

11/10/2025

Rest doesn’t have to be earned. You don’t have to run yourself into exhaustion before you’re allowed to stop. The truth is, the list will never really be done because life keeps moving, growing, and asking for your attention. And you can love your life deeply without being available to it every minute.

Sometimes rest looks like lying on the floor with your coffee. Sometimes it’s turning your phone off and doing absolutely nothing. Sometimes it’s saying, “I just can’t today.” And that’s okay.

The world won’t fall apart if you stop moving. But you might start to come back to yourself.

If you’ve been running on empty, this is your reminder: slowing down is part of healing. You’re allowed to rest now.

✨ Book a moment of care for yourself, book a call at www.cherrytreecounselling.ca

11/06/2025

The seasons are shifting, and sometimes, so are we.

Human beings are deeply shaped by our surroundings. As the days shorten and the light changes, many of us notice subtle shifts within ourselves too. A little less energy. A heavier kind of tired. A quiet longing for warmth, both physical and emotional.

Even with all the ways technology helps us adapt, we’re still connected to nature’s rhythm. We can’t change the flow of time, but we can pay attention to how it moves through us.

Seasonal changes can stir things beneath the surface: moods, memories, emotions that feel harder to name. These responses are human, not failures. Awareness is often the first step toward care.

If you notice your mood shifting with the seasons, you’re not alone. There are ways to support your wellbeing through it, including light therapy, movement, connection, and counselling.

🌿 Read more about navigating seasonal changes and mental health: visit our blog at www.cherrytreecounselling.ca/blog

11/05/2025

Let’s talk about it.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, can show up quietly at first: low energy, irritability, difficulty concentrating, a heavier kind of tired. For some, it feels like the light starts to fade a little earlier inside too.

Experts still don’t know exactly what causes SAD, but they do know this: you’re not alone. The Canadian Mental Health Association estimates that up to 15% of Canadians experience seasonal depression, with a few percent facing more intense symptoms. It’s more common among adults and women, especially those living further from the equator.

Here’s the thing...depression in any form can make daily life feel harder than it should. But help exists. Light therapy, medication, movement, and counselling can all support recovery.

If you notice these symptoms returning each year, please reach out to your doctor or a mental health professional. You don’t have to navigate this season alone.

🌿 Book a moment of care — book a call at cherrytreecounselling.ca

11/03/2025

One minute. That’s all it takes.

Take a slow breath and ask yourself...what’s one thing I can simplify today?

Maybe it’s your morning routine.
Maybe it’s the way you talk to yourself when things don’t go to plan.
Maybe it’s letting go of the pressure to do everything perfectly (because honestly, who can?).

Simplifying isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about creating space: for rest, clarity, and the things that actually nourish you.

Start small. One thing, one moment, one gentle shift at a time. 🌿

11/01/2025

ATTENTION THERAPISTS! Registration for our FALL session of the Walk and Talk Ecotherapy Online Training Course IS OPEN.

This is a self-paced, online training course for therapists who would like to integrate ecotherapy into their practice or skillset.

From start to finish, this training will provide you with everything you need to create, build, and launch your own Enhanced ‘Walk and Talk’ Therapy Program.

Included are 7 guided video lessons with a newly added extended module on Therapeutic Connections With the Land! You'll also receive a corresponding downloadable Course Workbook and Planning Worksheets.

Approved for Continuing Education Credits (CECs) by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), completion of this course provides you with 3 credits.

Your instructor is Cree Lambeck, B.Ed., M.A., R.P., OCT., Clinical Director and Therapist at Cherry Tree Counselling and Assistant Clinical Professor Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences McMaster University.

With an increased focus and understanding of the benefits of time in nature, now is the perfect time to learn how to be an effective Walk and Talk therapist.

REGISTER NOW!
www.cherrytreecounselling.ca/walk-and-talk-therapy-course-for-therapists-ontario

Let's get walking and talking...

10/31/2025

We all wear masks sometimes.

The “I’m fine” smile, the “I’ve got it together” act.

This Halloween, maybe the invitation is to take one off.

To let yourself be seen in the in-between.

Because who you really are — even on hard days — is more than enough. 💛

10/30/2025

Menopause isn’t just a physical change...it’s a whole-body, whole-self transition.

For many, it can bring waves of unexpected emotion: anxiety that seems to come out of nowhere, dips in mood, irritability, or just feeling “off” in ways that are hard to describe. And yet, so many women and gender-diverse folks move through it quietly, unsure if what they’re feeling is normal, or if they’re somehow supposed to just “handle it.”

Here’s the truth:
You don’t have to power through alone.
What you’re feeling makes sense.
And support is available.

Our blog explores the link between menopause and mental health, unpacking how hormonal changes can affect mood, sleep, and self-image, and how care, connection, and understanding can make all the difference.

Because this season isn’t a loss of who you are. It’s an invitation to reconnect with yourself in new and meaningful ways.

Read the full article by clicking the link-in-bio or visiting https://www.cherrytreecounselling.ca/blog/menopause-and-mental-health

10/29/2025

A gentle reminder: Perimenopause and menopause are transformative seasons in life that can bring meaningful physical, emotional, and psychological changes.

It’s common to notice shifts in mood, sleep, energy, focus, or even how you experience yourself. These changes can sometimes feel unsettling or isolating, especially when conversations around menopause are still wrapped in silence or stigma.

But you are not alone in this. These transitions are not signs of weakness or instability; they are signals from a body and mind in motion, adapting to a new phase of life.

By naming what is happening, learning about the connection between hormonal and mental health, and reaching out for support, you create space for understanding, connection, and resilience.

This is an opportunity to care for yourself more intentionally: to rest, to ask for help, to embrace the wisdom that comes with change. Together, we can normalize these conversations and honour the full experience of menopause with compassion and respect.

10/28/2025

Parenting and caregiving is an intense and complex commitment full of joy, sorrow, excitement and anxiety.

In exploring core values, work-life demands and family goals, we help parents-to-be, new parents, and caregivers build strong foundations for communication and shared parenting planning and responsibilities.

We offer gentle guidance and hands-on tools that you can put into practice immediately with your children. Recognizing that all behaviour is communication allows us to build specific workable action plans for peace and harmony in the home.

Connect with us today via the link in our bio to book your first session.

We’re ready to support you.

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Hamilton, ON

Website

http://www.cherrytreecounselling.ca/

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At Cherry Tree Counselling & Psychotherapy Services we offer compassionate counselling specializing in perinatal mental health & women's wellness. Call or message us today for your complimentary 15 minute consultation or to book. cherrytreedundas@gmail.com