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Monday 9:30am - 9pm Tuesday 9:30am - 8pm Wednesday 9:30am - 9pm Thursday 9:30am - 9pm Friday 9:30am - 12:30pm Saturday 9:30am - 4pm

Calming Tree Counselling

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Kitchener, ON
Calming Tree Counselling

Calming Tree Counselling is an inclusive and experienced counselling practice in Doon South, Kitchener, Ontario.

Calming Tree Counselling is an experienced social work practice where everyone; regardless of race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or age, will be met with warmth, empathy and confidentiality. Counsellors employ a personalized, holistic and client-centred approach that ensures clients feel safe, respected and understood.

02/04/2026

If you feel like you can never please anyone, this might be for you.

When approval feels necessary for safety or peace, it’s easy to over-explain, to justify, and to fill silence with reasons so others don’t get upset.

But justification often comes from defensiveness, and defensiveness quietly teaches people that they’re entitled to more access, more explanation, and more of you.

You don’t owe that. One of the most powerful boundary skills is learning to say less. Not everything needs a backstory. Not every decision needs to be defended.

Boundaries aren’t about being cold or cutting people off. They’re about deciding what information, energy, and access you share, and with whom.

If Aunt Barb is always intrusive, boundaries might sound like:
• “That’s not something I’m discussing.”
• “I’ve made my decision.”
• “I’m not getting into that today.”
• changing the subject and moving on

This is where entitlement shows up. Some people believe your time, emotions, and personal information are theirs by default.

They aren’t. Your inner world is a privilege, not a right.

Practicing boundaries can feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you’re used to earning safety through compliance.

But over time, saying less creates clarity, respect, and emotional breathing room.

You don’t have to please everyone to be okay. You’re allowed to protect your peace without explanation.

02/02/2026

Happy birthday to ME 🤍

I turned 50 over the weekend and here’s what I know: aging is complicated.

I feel grief. The kind that isn’t about loss, necessarily, but about seasons that are ending. For kiddos who don’t need me in the same way anymore, for parents who are aging and our relationships are shifting, for the way time suddenly feels louder. There’s the weight of retirement conversations, changing bodies, and the realization that life isn’t stretching endlessly forward anymore; it’s becoming more precious.

And also…

There is so much confidence here. I’m more comfortable in my own skin. I care less about what doesn’t matter (and I measure what matters differently). I’m excited to watch my kiddos experience all the things I’ve been able to experience in my life. I trust myself more. I’m clearer about what I want and what I’m no longer willing to carry.

50 isn’t just a number. It’s a balance of hard and soft, of grief and gratitude, of letting go and stepping into who I actually am.

And I’m here for it.

Melissa 🎈

01/28/2026

Moving toward the “true you” takes challenging yourself in healthy ways.

Think “baby steps” with big impact!

Thanks Chels for this insight!

01/26/2026

Maybe you ended the holidays on a high: rested, hopeful, inspired, telling yourself, “Okay, I’ve got this now.”

January came and you thought you could tackle it differently this time. And then, your energy dipped, the motivation faded, the old heaviness crept back in, and now you’re sitting there wondering if you failed again.

You didn’t.

January is not a fresh start for everyone. For many, it’s a comedown, a nervous system shift, a collision between expectations and reality.

The holidays are structured, stimulating, and distracting, and January is quiet, demanding, and often unforgiving.

Feeling low right now doesn’t mean you’re back at square one; it just means your system is adjusting. Remind yourself that this is a temporary moment of discomfort.

Progress doesn’t disappear because you’re struggling again. Capacity changes and seasons matter.

If this month feels harder than you expected, know that we’re here to walk with you!

01/23/2026

There’s a lot of pressure to start the year with clarity. To have big goals, a mapped-out plan, direction.

But not everyone moves forward that way.

For some people, planning brings excitement. And, for others, it brings anxiety, comparison, and the feeling that they’re already behind.

You’re allowed to ease in, take things one step at a time, and respond to what unfolds instead of forcing a storyline.

Not knowing doesn’t mean you’re unmotivated or stuck. It often means you’re listening to your capacity, your nervous system, and your season of life.

You don’t need a vision board to be moving forward. Let this year meet you where you are.

01/21/2026

“It happened, but it’s fine.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“I’m over it.”

Sound familiar?

Maybe you’ve experienced trauma, neglect, or something that just won’t stay in the past, and you’re allowed to be affected by it. Or maybe there’s something that left an imprint, and it can feel easy to talk about it lightly, to dismiss it, or to minimize its impact, especially if everyone around you has encouraged you to move on.

But, you don’t need to leave it in the past. You don’t need to stop giving it airtime. Because that thing matters. It shaped how you learned to protect yourself, how you relate to others, how safe or unsafe the world feels, even now.

Wanting those wounds to be met with compassion is not weakness; it’s wisdom.

Healing doesn’t mean reopening every story or pushing through the pain. Sometimes it means gently tending to what’s still tender, even if it “happened a long time ago.”

You don’t have to justify why it still affects you, and you don’t have to rush past it to be “okay.”

What you went through matters! Send this to someone who needs to hear this message!

01/19/2026

Hilary’s work is grounded in an intersectional, anti-oppressive, and holistic lens, with a strong focus on creating a safe, respectful, and understanding therapeutic space.

In practice, this means meeting clients where they are, without pressure to perform, explain, or rush the process. Hilary is a true listener, attentive not only to what is being said, but also to what sits beneath the surface. Her approach is thoughtful, compassionate, and collaborative, helping clients feel genuinely seen and supported.

As a new homeowner and newly engaged, Hilary understands first-hand how exciting life transitions can also bring stress, uncertainty, and emotional complexity.

At the heart of her practice is a belief that therapy should feel safe, respectful, and attuned to each person’s unique experience. The goal is not to “fix,” but to create space for reflection, clarity, and sustainable growth.

If you want to book a session with Hilary, head to our website or call us!

01/05/2026

You are not meant to snap back after the holidays. You are meant to settle back in.

The holidays give us something to look forward to.

We gather, we rush, we fill our days, and our nervous system runs high.

Then everything stops, and the quiet lands hard.

That feeling is the post holiday blues, and it is more common than you think. It’s often episodic and not forever.

It can show up as:
⇢ disconnection
⇢ exhaustion
⇢ low mood
⇢ a nervous system that feels hijacked

Try ignoring the pressure to bounce back and, instead, focus on:
⇢ rest
⇢ routine
⇢ small moments of connection ⇢ a schedule that feels grounding again

Give yourself time to settle. Your system is recalibrating, not failing.

01/02/2026

The pressure to reinvent yourself every January can feel overwhelming.

It suggests there is something wrong with who you are now, or that growth only counts if it looks dramatic and immediate.

Real change is often small, steady, and unglamorous.

It comes from noticing your patterns, understanding your needs, setting boundaries, asking for help, and taking gentle steps that actually fit your life.

You don’t need to become a new version of yourself to be worthy of a fresh start.

You only need awareness, compassion, and room to grow at your own pace.

This year, try letting go of the pressure to transform. Instead, focus on what feels grounding and what supports your nervous system.

Focus on connection, regulation, and small choices that move you closer to who you already are.

If you’re looking for support in moving forward (without starting over), reach out! We’d love to support you in 2026!

Address

10 Pioneer Drive, Unit 109
Kitchener, ON
N2P2A4

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 9pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 8pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 9pm
Thursday	9:30am - 9pm
Friday	9:30am - 12:30pm
Saturday	9:30am - 4pm

Telephone

+15192082256

Website

https://calmingtreecounselling.ca/

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