Orchard Valley

12/25/2025

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12/25/2025

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Student Support connects students with free, confidential emotional, health, and wellbeing support conveniently available via app, telephone and web.

12/24/2025

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12/24/2025

✨ Happy Holidays from Orchard Valley Counselling ✨

As we wrap up the year, we want to extend heartfelt gratitude to our clients, community, and everyone who has trusted us with their wellbeing in 2025. This season can bring joy, connection, and celebration, but it can also bring stress, reflection, and emotional heaviness.

Wherever you find yourself, we’re here to support you. 💛

As we move into a new year, we invite you to continue tending to your emotional well-being with small, meaningful practices rooted in evidence-based care. And if you're looking for guidance or tools, you’ll find helpful resources on our website to support you through the season and beyond.

🎄 From all of us at Orchard Valley Counselling, we wish you a peaceful, grounded, and hopeful holiday season.

12/20/2025

The holidays are often described as joyful, magical, and filled with connection. But for many people, this time of year also brings pressure, expectations, financial strain, family triggers, social overwhelm, and a long list of to-dos. 🎄

If you are feeling stressed instead of festive, you are not alone. 💛

Even if you usually cope well throughout the year, December tends to amplify everything. 😞

You may experience: 👇

• increased social obligations
• financial pressure or gift expectations
• grief from past losses
• family tension or unresolved conflict
• disrupted routines
• shorter daylight hours that affect mood
• perfectionism around creating the “ideal” holiday

The combination of emotional, social, and physical stress makes many people feel overstimulated, disconnected, or exhausted by January.

🌟 Swipe through to find practical ways to reduce holiday stress. 🌟

If you want additional help reducing stress this holiday season, we are here for you. Whether you prefer in-person sessions in Kelowna or online counselling from home, you can get support quickly and comfortably.

Book your appointment today and head into the holidays feeling calmer, grounded, and supported. 📅

https://orchardvalleycounselling.ca/contact-us/

12/17/2025

The holidays are often described as joyful, magical, and filled with connection. But for many people, this time of year also brings pressure, expectations, financial strain, family triggers, social overwhelm, and a long list of to-dos. 🎄

If you are feeling stressed instead of festive, you are not alone. 💛

Even if you usually cope well throughout the year, December tends to amplify everything. 😞

You may experience: 👇
�• increased social obligations
• financial pressure or gift expectations
• grief from past losses
• family tension or unresolved conflict
• disrupted routines
• shorter daylight hours that affect mood
• perfectionism around creating the “ideal” holiday

The combination of emotional, social, and physical stress makes many people feel overstimulated, disconnected, or exhausted by January.

🌟 Swipe through to find practical ways to reduce holiday stress. 🌟

If you want additional help reducing stress this holiday season, we are here for you. Whether you prefer in-person sessions in Kelowna or online counselling from home, you can get support quickly and comfortably.

Book your appointment today and head into the holidays feeling calmer, grounded, and supported. 📅

https://orchardvalleycounselling.ca/contact-us/

12/14/2025

This advice from Gabor Mate will make you rethink your entire life

12/14/2025

12/10/2025

❄️🦃 The holiday season is filled with celebration, connection, and good food. It is also a time when many people struggle with overeating. With gatherings, treats at every corner, and a change in routine, it makes sense that eating habits shift.

You are not alone if you notice more cravings, bigger portions, or less control during this time of year.

At Orchard Valley Counselling, we support many clients in Kelowna who want a healthier relationship with food. The goal is never perfection. It is to help you stay grounded, reduce guilt, and feel more at ease with your choices.

Here are some practical tips to manage overeating during the holidays 👇

🌟 Eat regular meals
It may be tempting to skip meals before a big event. However, this often leads to overeating later. Eating regular meals keeps your blood sugar stable and makes holiday food feel less overwhelming.

🌟 Slow down your eating
When you eat quickly, your brain has less time to notice fullness. Slowing down allows you to taste your food, enjoy the moment, and make more intentional choices.

🌟 Check in with your body
Before you eat, pause and notice how hungry you are. During the meal, pause again and check how you feel. This small habit helps you reconnect with cues that may get lost in holiday noise.

🌟 Use the 80 percent rule
Try eating until you feel comfortably satisfied instead of full. Many people find that leaving a little room reduces discomfort and helps them feel more in control.

🌟 Keep balanced options available
Adding fruit, vegetables, protein, and water throughout the day supports your body and helps you stay grounded. You do not need to avoid treats. Instead, balance them with foods that help you feel stable.

🌟 Support emotional eating with care
Holiday stress, grief, and family tension can make food feel like comfort. Rather than forcing yourself to stop, try adding another soothing tool. A short walk, a grounding exercise, or talking to someone supportive can make a big difference.

🌟 Release guilt and perfection
Food is part of celebration. You will likely eat differently during the holidays, and that is okay. Guilt often leads to more overeating, not less. Being kind to yourself is one of the most effective tools you can use.

If your relationship with food feels stressful or out of control, counselling can help you understand the patterns beneath overeating. You can learn strategies that are compassionate, sustainable, and free from shame. Many clients find relief once they understand why they struggle and how to support their body and emotions during difficult seasons.

Book in with us, we’re here to help. 💚

https://orchardvalleycounselling.ca/contact-us/

12/03/2025

If you have unused counselling coverage, now is a great time to take advantage of it! 💛

❄️ Most insurance plans expire on December 31, which means any sessions you’ve already paid for through your benefits won’t roll over into the new year. Using your coverage now can be an accessible and meaningful way to support your mental and emotional well-being.

You may still have benefits for:��🌟 Registered Clinical Counsellors
🌟 EMDR therapy
🌟 Anxiety and stress support
🌟 Relationship counselling
🌟 Trauma therapy
🌟 General mental health and wellness

Most plans renew on January 1 — anything unused is gone.

Whether you’re seeking support for anxiety, stress, relationships, trauma, or personal growth, we offer sessions both in person and online to meet your needs.

✨ Appointments are available in Kelowna, West Kelowna, and across British Columbia through secure virtual counselling.

📅 Holiday Hours:� We will be closed December 25, December 26, and January 1. Regular hours resume outside of these dates.

📅 Book your session today and make the most of your benefits before December 31.
�https://orchardvalleycounselling.ca/contact-us/

11/26/2025

We don’t just offer a sympathetic ear, we provide evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique pressures faced by Kelowna and West Kelowna residents. Our approach to managing work stress includes:

1️⃣ Identifying Your Stressors: We’ll work with you to pinpoint the specific sources of your stress—whether it’s an unsustainable workload, a difficult workplace relationship, or a lack of clarity in your role.

2️⃣ Developing Healthy Boundaries: Learn how to confidently communicate your limits, say “no” without guilt, and disconnect from work to truly enjoy your precious personal time in the Okanagan.

3️⃣ Building Coping Toolkits: We teach practical, real-world techniques like mindfulness, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and stress reduction exercises to manage anxiety in the moment and prevent it from building up.

4️⃣ Preventing Full-Blown Burnout: Therapy provides a proactive space to process your experiences and develop resilience before you reach a breaking point, protecting your career and your health.

5️⃣ Rediscovering Purpose: We can help you reconnect with the aspects of your work that you find meaningful, or explore pathways to a healthier career fit if that’s what you need.

You Can Find Balance Again. We Can Help. 💚

Your career shouldn’t come at the cost of your mental and physical health. Investing in therapy is an investment in your long-term well-being and professional sustainability. It’s a step toward reclaiming the energy to enjoy the beautiful Okanagan lifestyle you work so hard for.

We offer a free, no-obligation 15-minute phone consultation. This is a chance for you to:

✨ Briefly share what you’re experiencing at work.

✨ Ask any questions you have about the therapy process.

✨ Learn how our tailored strategies can specifically help you manage stress.

✨ Feel confident that you’ve found the right therapist before you book a session.

There is no pressure, and no commitment. It’s simply an opportunity to explore your options. Get in touch with us to book your consultation.

📲 Call: 236.361.0043 or Email: Admin@ovcs.ca 📧

https://orchardvalleycounselling.ca