Gentle Pathways Counselling and Psychotherapy

01/18/2026

Why is this affecting me so much?”

It’s a question many people ask after a difficult event.

“I should be over this.”
“Others have been through worse.”

“Why am I reacting this way?”
We often focus on the most recent event—the accident, the loss, the conflict. While a true single-event trauma can lead to PTSD symptoms, recovery is often more straightforward because the experience had a clear beginning and end.

When these questions linger, what we may be missing is the full context.

For many people, the event didn’t happen in isolation. It landed on a nervous system shaped by earlier stress, repeated losses, chronic overwhelm, emotional neglect, or times when safety wasn’t guaranteed.

Your reaction isn’t “too much.”
It makes sense when your history is more complex than one moment.

Healing begins not by minimizing your response, but by understanding the whole story your body has been carrying.

If this resonates, you don’t have to make sense of it alone. Support can help you understand the bigger picture.

12/16/2025

10/12/2025

As a therapist, I often remind others to find grounding in small moments — and for me, that includes being out on the water.

Feeling thankful for nature’s calm, sunshine on my skin, and the quiet that helps reset the mind and heart.

Wishing you all a gentle Thanksgiving weekend.

10/06/2025

Healing doesn’t always look like movement — sometimes it looks like sitting in peace .🍃

🍃Allow yourself to rest, to feel , to exist without needing to prove or push.

10/03/2025

It’s not about shutting people out—it’s about showing up for yourself with the same care you show others. 💛

09/27/2025

How good of a friend are you to yourself? 🌿

This graph shows all- we spend more hours alone than with anyone else. That’s why the way you treat you matters most. 💛
Be gentle. Be kind. Listen to your own needs.

How will you show up for yourself today?

09/12/2025

September brings a return to routines—school schedules, workdays, and steadier rhythms. For some it’s grounding, for others a tough adjustment. Notice what feels supportive, what summer habits you’d like to keep, and where you can be gentle with yourself. 🌿

07/22/2025

☀️ It’s mid-summer and many of us — ourselves included — are taking time to rest, recharge, and enjoy the slower pace 🌿

While we're on holidays, online booking for September appointments is open at www.gentlepathways.ca.

🧸 A gentle reminder: appointments for children begin with a parent-only consultation to ensure the best support for your family.

Wishing you warmth and ease this summer 💛

07/16/2025

☀️ Summer's here — and so are small ways to feel better, every day.

Try a few of these gentle mood boosters and see what shifts. 💛

06/20/2025

That pounding heart? The urges to run or freeze? The walls that go up when people get too close? Trauma can make your body seem unpredictable — but the truth is, whatever happens after trauma is just your nervous
system's way of dealing with what you've been through.

06/17/2025

🧠 June is Men’s Mental Health Month 🧠

It’s okay not to be okay.

Too often, men are taught to stay strong, keep it together, and suffer in silence. But strength isn't about pretending. Real courage is speaking up, reaching out, and taking that first step toward healing.

You don’t have to carry it all alone. Whether you’re navigating stress, grief, trauma, or just feeling overwhelmed — help is here.

This month, let’s break the stigma. Let’s remind the men in our lives: your mental health matters.

💬 Gentle Pathways offers a safe, non-judgmental space to talk, process, and heal.
📍 Therapy tailored for you — confidential, supportive, and compassionate.

👉 Share this to remind someone they’re not alone.

05/29/2025

✨ You are not broken.
✨ You are not too much.
✨ You are healing—one breath, one step, at a time.