Wandering Willow Counselling Solutions

Wandering Willow Counselling Solutions 🌿 Compassionate mental health services combining evidence-based care & holistic wellness. 🌱

🌿 Wandering Willow Counselling Solutions 🌿
Providing compassionate mental health services through evidence-based therapies and holistic wellness. Supporting your journey toward resilience and growth in Kamloops, BC, and online. Let resilience take root. 🌱

Visit us: wanderingwillow-counselling.com

04/23/2026

Sometimes the body stages a protest just to get us to listen. 🤧
As the seasons shift and the pollen moves in, it’s a reminder that our "vessels" are constantly reacting to the world around us. When we feel "off" or unhinged, our Sympathetic Nervous System (the gas pedal) is often stuck in a fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response.
To find our way back to the Parasympathetic state—where we can actually rest and digest—it helps to HALT and check the basics:
Hungry
Angry
Lonely
Tired
When these are out of balance, our window of tolerance shrinks. Taking a beat today to recalibrate, get land-bodied, and tune back in.
Staying for the chaos, but rooted in the connection. 🪶✨

04/09/2026

Mind Full vs. Mindful 🌿

​Today’s Wilderness Wednesday is a short one, but an important one. Sometimes we don’t have hours to get lost in the woods—we just have a few minutes to get out of our heads.

​I’ve been thinking about the difference between having a mind full of "to-dos" and "what-ifs," and actually being mindful of the world shifting around us.

​Right now, things are starting to blossom, change, and move. When we take a second to notice the fine details—the way a bud is forming or the smell of the air through an open window—something happens. We stop just "getting through" the day and start getting back into our bodies.

​The Challenge:

Find one small thing today that is changing. Open a window, step onto the grass, or just look up. Notice the detail.

​Get out of your mind. Get into the moment.

​

04/05/2026

Happy Easter, everyone! ☀️
There’s something about getting out on the trails that forces a different kind of presence. When the climb gets steep or the terrain gets technical, you don't have much choice but to tune into your body.
In those moments of high stress, coming back to the basics—focusing on the rhythm of your breath and the physical sensations of movement—can be an incredibly grounding way to regulate the nervous system. It’s a reminder that even when things feel heavy, we can find a sense of flow by simply staying present in our bodies.
Sending you all some goodness and light on this beautiful sunny day. Enjoy the fresh air!

04/01/2026

Resiliency shouldn’t be a requirement for existence. 🌿🏳️‍⚧️
​Today, for Trans Day of Visibility and Remembrance, I’m sharing some reflections on "forced resiliency." As a clinician and a human, I see how often strength is a survival mechanism rather than a choice.
​The science of Minority Stress tells us that the struggle isn't in the identity—it’s often in the weight of a world that clings to rigid binaries.
​To those at a crossroads: Your pace is your own.
​To those carrying hatred: I send love to you, too. That armor is heavy, and you deserve to put it down.
​Let’s move toward a world where we don’t just "transcend" the struggle, but where we are finally free to just be.
​

03/25/2026

Your feelings have a home in your body—and your breath is the key to the door. 🌿✨

​When we label our emotions—whether it’s the spark of joy, the heat of anger, or the weight of sadness—we are doing more than just identifying a feeling. We are practicing attunement.

​By adding a deep, intentional breath into that moment, we aren't just "calming down." We are actively engaging the prefrontal cortex, our brain’s center for logic and regulation. This "simple" (not always) act of mindfulness signals our nervous system that it’s safe to move from a state of survival into a state of understanding and growth.

​Take a moment to step outside today, breathe with the rhythm of the world around you, and give your brain the space it needs to reset. 🌲🌬️

03/20/2026

A little Spring Equinox ritual for your feed. 🌱
​As the world shifts into balance today, it’s a perfect moment to check in with your own internal scales. Nature doesn't rush to bloom, and neither should we.
​The Spring Reset:
​Acknowledge: What "festered" in the winter quiet? Let it be part of the soil now.
​Breathe: Take one deep breath for the darkness, and one for the light.
​Move: Find the sun, get on the trails, and let the warmth do the rest.
​See you out there (or in the office)! 🚲✨

03/08/2026

I marched today in Kamloops for International Women’s Day because "no more silence" is not just a slogan—it’s a necessity. ✊🌲

Standing with women, femmes alike, non-binary individuals,
2-spirit, and LGBTQIA+ peoples, it’s clear that the crossfire of disproportionate violence in Canada and beyond remains a staggering reality.
True peace and equality require more than just showing up for one day; it requires accountability, accessibility, and affordability for all on all levels. It takes "radical" collaboration and a commitment to justice—to ensure that safety and love are foundational, not optional.

I marched today because I refuse to be silent until there is no more violence for all.

03/07/2026

The Cold Reset 🏂❄️
​Checking in with a quick thought on trauma and chronic stress. When our nervous system is stuck in high gear or feeling totally disconnected, sometimes logic isn't enough—we have to talk to the body first.
​Why the cold works:
​Vagus Nerve Reset: The chill acts like a biological "circuit breaker." It triggers a natural reflex that slows your heart rate and pulls your brain out of a stress loop.
​Tuning In: Trauma often makes us want to leave our bodies. The cold is a sharp, non-judgmental "now" that forces us to tune back into our physical selves.
​The Break: It’s a physical interrupt for the "stuckness" that comes with chronic stress.
​The Challenge:
If you're feeling out of whack, try a cold reset. Splash some ice water on your face, hold an ice cube, or step into the crisp air. Give your system a physical reason to come back to the present.
​Be gentle with your system today. And in case nobody told you today: You are loved. 🤍
​

03/06/2026

Stop calling yourself lazy. 🛑🧠

Ever feel "stuck" even when you know exactly what you need to do? That’s not a character flaw—it’s biology.
Procrastination can come from many different angles. Sometimes it’s a dopamine deficiency, and other times it's a spike of cortisol triggering a "Freeze" response. Your brain is trying to protect you by staying still, but it leaves you feeling paralyzed.

The shift can happen when we choose compassion over shame.

Ditch the labels. The "lazy" narrative only adds more stress to your system.

Get grounded. Feel your body. Take a breath. Remind your body you are safe in the "here and now."

Move the energy. Whether it’s a run or a short walk, changing the room your in- movement can help metabolize those stress chemicals and invites the dopamine back in.

And hey, if the humans in your life feel like "too much" while you're navigating this, remember, it is perfectly okay to talk to the rocks. They’re excellent listeners and, honestly, quite stable 😉

Be kind to yourself today. You aren’t lazy—you’re just navigating a complex nervous system.

03/04/2026

Wilderness Wednesday- AI vs. The Elements 🌲🤖
​Yesterday’s workshop on AI and Social Work Ethics sparked a thought.
We often turn to AI because it’s accessible and non-judgmental. But while an algorithm is programmed to be perceived as "safe," it’s also scripted and biased.

​Nature has its own universal "algorithm," but it doesn’t give you a generic response. It’s a space that doesn’t judge, yet challenges our nervous systems to sit in the discomfort of being unscripted.

​The Challenge:
​Step into the elements. Sit in nature today and notice the difference between a digital "safe spot" and the grounded reality of the wild.
​Bring it to therapy. If you’ve been using AI to process your thoughts, I challenge you to bring those questions and stories into your next session. Let’s look at those narratives together in a real, human connection.

​Tune in, get grounded, and remember: You are loved. 🤍
​

03/01/2026

Caught this 🦌 moment on my walk today. You don’t often see a deer in therapy, but they are the ultimate masters of the nervous system.
Whether you’re in Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn, your body is just trying to protect you. These responses aren't glitches—they're survival. But sometimes, we need to remind our system that we are safe in the "here and now."
Take a breath with me:
✨ Inhale...
✨ Exhale...
✨ Get grounded.
Anxiety is a natural response, but it doesn't have to be your permanent state. Let’s normalize the nerves and find our footing together. 🌿

There are no words that feel like enough today. 🌿Our province is grieving the loss of children and community members in ...
02/12/2026

There are no words that feel like enough today. 🌿

Our province is grieving the loss of children and community members in Tumbler Ridge. In a small town where everyone knows everyone, this is a weight no community should have to hold.

I want to remind you that collective grief and vicarious trauma are real. Your response is human, and it often shows up in ways we don't expect.

This weight may look like:
Emotional: Anger, numbness, deep sadness, or a desperate search for answers.
Physical: A tight chest, knots in your stomach, exhaustion, or feeling "on edge" (hyper-vigilance).
The Ripple Effect: A tragedy like this often acts as a mirror, triggering old grief or past traumas you’ve carried in your own life. It is normal for "unrelated" pains to surface right now.

If you find yourself reeling, please be extra kind to yourself. Look at the ground beneath your feet—the same earth that holds us all—and take one slow breath. We are all connected, and it is okay to be not okay- reach out💚

Resources for Support:
BC Mental Health Support: 310-6789 (24/7)
9-8-8 Su***de Crisis Helpline: Call or text 9-8-8
Hope for Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310 (Indigenous-led support)
BC Bereavement Helpline: 1-877-779-2223
KUU-US Indigenous Crisis Line: 1-800-588-8717

Address

9th Floor, 235 1st Avenue
Kamloops, BC
V5Y1A6

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