The Whole Life Counselling Clinic

03/27/2020

I am re-posting this graphic - such a helpful reminder about where to focus our time and attention!

03/22/2020

In keeping with distancing recommendations and to offer continued support to those that are self-isolated or quarantined, The Whole Life Counselling Clinic has moved services to phone and web-based video. By taking these measures, I hope to contribute to a sustainable community that is effectively fighting COVID-19. Please get in touch for more information or to make an appointment.

01/16/2020

How are you doing with your intentions for 2020?

Around this time of January, many people find that the objectives they set for themselves are more challenging, or less rewarding, than they hoped.

Advice about habit-formation makes it sound so easy! Take this (edited) excerpt from www.developgoodhabits.com:

1: Focus on One New Habit
2: Commit for at least 30 days
3: Build on Established Habits
4: Take Baby Steps
5: Plan for Obstacles
6: Create Accountability
7: Reward Milestones
8: Build a New Identity.

… A new identity… Doesn’t that sound amazing???!!

Words are easy. Change is hard. Even though you may be half way through a 30 day commitment to change today, it can feel like such an uphill climb to get through the remaining 15 days it will take to form a new habit. Many people are stymied in their efforts to change by disruption in routine: Snow days? Flu season? Escaping the cold and dark with vacation? Any of these things and so much more can get in the way of meeting your intentions for self-betterment.

When things get hard, or you start to go off track, of course the advice above can be helpful. I have another tip to add: PLOD. Choose not to focus on how many days you’ve succeeded or failed. Instead, set your intention to keep on going.

Did you fall again? That’s okay; get back up, dust yourself off, and keep on going. When you choose to keep going, even when it’s hard or you don’t want to, you teach yourself that you really can do hard things. When you learn that you can do hard things, it builds determination and discipline to accomplish more toward change than any New Year’s resolution ever could.

Before I end off this post; here is a further word about failure. Viewing shortcomings or difficulties with this f-word lens tends to be disheartening, motivation stealing and is the path to the q-word: quitting. Making change starts with attempts. Our earliest efforts may not be successful, but we can learn from these initial steps, determine to keep on trying (that’s right; plod) and keep on going.

If you are facing a failure, I would encourage you to accept that failure is not permanent. It is not a reflection of you as a person. And failure is not useless. You may need to adjust your expectations, much like a scientist adjusts their method in order to reach the results you desire. This may involve breaking down your goal into smaller steps, finding a person to keep you accountable, or consulting with someone to help you figure out the challenges you are facing.

Be encouraged today. We are all people in process and are journeying toward whatever the future holds for us. If you are just getting back up to continue on, steady on my plodding friend! If you are feeling that you are right back where you started, feel free to grab a lifeline and ask for some help. No matter what; know that your intentions and efforts to change are change-muscle building. No efforts are wasted.

01/07/2020

On this rainy, dark, January day, here are words of encouragement:

Hold steady.

Hang on.

You can do this.

You may have come out of a holiday season full of family time that was enriching, warm and full of care. It is challenging to get back into routines after times like that. Gaze around you and breathe deeply through this life. Remind yourself of the things you have to be thankful for and keep placing one foot in front of the other.

You may have experienced disappointment over the last few weeks; distance from people you want to feel close to, plans that didn't go as you hoped. Or you may have gone through all the motions and done all the things, yet found that nothing was truly touching your heart. While searching for a way to lift your mood, it's a total fight to press on in the dark, drab days of winter. Hold steady, my friend. It's time to re-engage. Use this time to consider patterns and routines that keep you from feeling negative and uncomfortable feelings and result also in an unfortunate disconnect from life and relationships.

You may have experienced or been reminded of loss over the holiday season. I am so sorry you have had to go through this difficult time. If you are experiencing a challenge like this, I encourage you to be gentle with your self. Walk slowly. Let tears fall. Reminisce. Allow winter to bring stillness to your soul and to gently heal the sadness.

In any of the ways you may be facing the winter ahead, feel free to contact Ann-Marie to walk through this time with you.

11/16/2019

🎄Have you put up holiday decorations yet? 🎄

Whether you have or not, chances are that thoughts of the holidays have already been on your mind.

🎅☃️🎅☃️🎅☃️🎅

If you only feel happy, lovely things at Christmas, I wish you well on your merry way!

However, so many people struggle at the holidays;
feeling pressure to do things they hate,
not feeling close the people they feel the "should",
feeling the loss of loved ones who have died or who we haven't seen for a long time...

Our expectations of holiday times and the reality of what we experience don't always match. Sometimes, our negative expectations line up perfectly and that is a completely different problem!!😯

Either way, we end up feeling sadness, pain, anger, resentment and a whole host of things that feel distinctly un-holiday-like and incredibly disappointing.

If this is you, please know that you are not the only one. So many people go through life, generally feeling like they are doing ok, only to realize at the holidays that they really aren't happy with things the way they are. The holidays have a way of heightening the realization that things need to change.

I want to encourage you to seek out the connections that give you warmth ☕️ over the holiday season.

If there are people or places or memories you can be grateful for, allow yourself to enjoy time in the presence of those.

Today, let this be a reminder to you that you are worth care, worth love and worth connection. Even if the holidays don't effectively send you that message.

09/07/2019

Hi, Everyone - I've changed my business name to The Whole Life Counselling Clinic. I think this new name helps to know what I'm about. It reflects my passion to help people find fulfillment in life instead of getting weighed down by depression, anxiety or disconnected relationships. Want to know more? Comment below... ☺️

06/15/2019