Caitlin Cuggy Psychotherapy

11/23/2025

I’m very excited to share the first look at Alcove Psychology!

This practice has been growing quietly behind the scenes for a long time, and it feels really good to finally bring it forward.

My first blog is live and a job posting for counsellors and psychotherapists is linked in my stories.

You can find the blog in my bio.

Thank you for being here :)

09/14/2023

Breathwork is all about regulating your breathing pattern to achieve various goals. Some of my clients use breathwork to ground themselves during stressful moments. Others use it to relax, to connect with their emotions, or to be funny present in the moment. Regardless of the intention, breathwork has many benefits and can improve your overall sense of well-being. Some common benefits, like reducing anxiety and lowering heart rate, are due to the connection between your breath and the activation of your nervous system's rest/relaxation function, countering any fight/flight response.

There are different techniques, but here are three simple ones to get you started:

Diaphragmatic breathing: Expanding your belly and chest during inhalation and emptying the chest cavity on exhale. Allows full, deep breaths.
4-7-8 breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. It allows you to fully empty your lungs, leaving you feeling refreshed.
Nostril breathing: Use your thumb to block one nostril and inhale. Switch nostrils and exhale. Keeps your breath steady and consistent.

To book an appointment and learn more about the services I offer, visit cuggypsychotherapy.com

08/03/2023

Setting boundaries is complex and can be misunderstood, leading to hesitation and confusion. One common myth is the belief that setting boundaries means always saying no. But in reality, healthy boundaries involve a subtle balance of self-care and consideration for others, This is how setting boundaries can foster a sense of mutual respect and understanding in relationships.

To book an appointment and learn more about the services I offer, visit cuggypsychotherapy.com

07/24/2023

When we're feeling off, we can drift towards maladaptive behaviours that do not improve our mood or address our feelings. A typical example is passively scrolling through social media. It's an almost effortless activity, but it offers little benefit. On the other hand, if we can spend a small amount of energy on a different activity like walking outside, reading, or chatting with a loved one, we'll most likely feel better than before.

To book an appointment and learn more about the services I offer, visit cuggypsychotherapy.com

07/07/2023

Anxiety is mainly talked about as something of the mind, but it has other effects. Stress influences our emotions, making us sensitive to mood changes. It causes changes in our behaviour, like procrastination or social withdrawal. We can notice it in and around our bodies too. This list isn't exhaustive because anxiety affects us all differently. It's good to become familiar with how you react to stress so that you can soothe it and work on finding solutions when you notice it. Ask yourself: What are my thoughts doing? How would I describe my mood? How does my body feel? What can I do to move to a better place?

To book an appointment and learn more about the services I offer, visit cuggypsychotherapy.com

06/30/2023

We're finding ourselves in a world of available stimulation 24/7, which affects our dopamine systems. Dr. Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine Dopamine, calls us "cacti in the rainforest" because we are flooded with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter with many functions and is best known for its association with pleasure, reward, and motivation. Dopamine gets us moving and feels good but works best with balance. Too much dopamine (which might feel good in the moment) causes a big drop later on, leaving us feeling down and demotivated.
To keep a stable balance, think of activities as dopamine "drips" or "dumps." Dumps are highly stimulating, but they generally don't require any effort. This can lead to a prolonged drop in dopamine, as mentioned. In contrast, drips are activities that release steady amounts of dopamine. A major difference is that drips require varying amounts of effort, which is key in sustaining healthy dopamine levels. Here are some examples of drips and dumps:
Drips:
Physical activity
Catch up with a friend
Reading
Sleep hygiene
Hobbies Nature
Break from screens
Drops:
Alcohol/Drugs
Video games
Social media
Ni****ne
Movies/Tv shows

To book an appointment and learn more about the services I offer, visit cuggypsychotherapy.com

06/23/2023

At its core, self-awareness can be thought of as listening to yourself, your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Self-awareness is necessary to be emotionally intelligent- the ability to feel, understand, manage, and handle emotions. Noticing yourself from a distance can provide helpful information you can reflect on, like patterns in your thoughts, feelings, and actions. For example, understanding our internal state makes it easier to relate to others allowing for deep connections and improving your relationships. Other benefits include becoming closer to yourself, understanding areas you might improve, or living in line with your values and goals. Impartiality is key when we observe ourselves, so I like to remind my clients to be non-judgemental in their approach. With that in mind, here are 10 activities to improve your self-awareness:
Journal: There are many different ways to journal, and it's really about what works best for you. If you don't know where to start, use some prompts.
Monitor your self-talk: Take a step back and notice how you address yourself in your thoughts. Are you kind? What kinds of things do you say about yourself?
Read fiction: Reading fiction is a fantastic way to put yourself in someone else's shoes and learn to relate better with others.
Write yourself a letter: What are you thankful for? What are some of your favourite memories? What would you tell your past self? What do you look forward to in the future? What do you forgive yourself for?
Ask for feedback: Talk to a trusting friend or family member to get an outside perspective on your strengths and weaknesses.
Identify your values: Consider them and narrow them down to the most important ones you aspire to live by.
Try something new: You can discover quite a bit about yourself by putting yourself in new situations.
Examine your reactions: Are there any patterns in your automatic thoughts? How do they make you feel? Can you challenge any negative thoughts?
Yoga: Get in tune with your body to feel comfortable in it.
Practice gratitude: Think of one thing that makes you smile. When do you feel loved?

To book an appointment and learn more about the services I offer, visit cuggypsychotherapy.com

06/12/2023

Let's imagine you spent a full day answering emails, attending meetings, and saying yes to tasks that distract you from your goals. You feel stressed because there's so much to do and things keep popping up. So, you switch back and forth between items on your to do list. By the end of the day your brain feels fried and there is still more to get done. But, when someone asks you about your day, you can't think of anything important you accomplished. "But I was so busy" you might say to yourself. These types of days are common (we've all been there) and they highlight the problem with being busy without being productive.
Busyness is having lots of "stuff" to do, but it might not be that important and involves a lot of multitasking. To be productive means accomplishing tasks that move you closer to your goals. This requires being proactive and intentional with your time. And, when it comes to your time remember to set boundaries and respect your and other's limits.

To book an appointment and learn more about the services I offer, visit cuggypsychotherapy.com

06/09/2023

When was the last time you reflected on who you are? It's okay if you're overdue since we rarely get reminders to check in and ask how well we know ourselves. It can be hard to answer, and you may feel uncomfortable with what you find. Maybe you feel like a stranger to yourself, struggling to identify core values or beliefs quickly. Maybe you feel alone because others don't know the real you. Or, maybe you feel like somewhere along the way, you lost yourself.
These reactions are common and a sign for you to get to know yourself a little better.
Knowing yourself has great benefits, like increasing self-awareness and emotional intelligence, but most of all, knowing yourself allows you to act authentically and purposefully in your everyday life. What's more, by knowing yourself, you'll be better prepared to relay that information to others, deepening relationships through understanding.
But knowing yourself isn't always easy; some might say it's impossible to know yourself fully. So, remember to be patient and treat yourself with compassion. If you need help getting started, here are some great ways to (re-)discover you!
a) Examine your reactions to events that trigger you.
b) Become aware of your values, beliefs and opinions.
c) Journal.
d) Learn how to regulate and self-soothe.
e) Find out what you're good at (and what you're not good at).

To book an appointment and learn more about the services I offer, visit cuggypsychotherapy.com

06/03/2023

Our phones are deeply tied to our lives, a tool that manages our calendars, catches us up on the news, provides entertainment, and keeps us connected. Despite all the fantastic ways phones have improved our lives, we often need to remember to disconnect and live a bit offline. Whether you set aside a time or day to disconnect or be more conscientious with your phone usage, there are many benefits to taking a break from your phone:
Productivity and focus: Phones are distracting and enticing, so putting them away can ensure you stay on task.
More time: Making time for things that matter to us is important for your relationship with yourself; why not take the time we use online for activities that bring you joy?
Improve sleep: Nightly routines are part of good sleep hygiene; try building yours to exclude your phone to help relax you before bed.
Relationships: Taking a break from your phone allows you to be present with others and yourself if you are alone.
Improve physical health: Substitute your time on your device with a walk outside or a short workout to improve your health.
Alleviate stress: Our phones are so stimulating that we can become stressed and overwhelmed by the massive amounts of information.

To book an appointment and learn more about the services I offer, visit cuggypsychotherapy.com

05/28/2023

I frequently see my clients struggle with negative thoughts and their spiralling effects. Every day we have thousands of thoughts about the world, ourselves, and others. It's normal for some of these thoughts to be negative, but just because we have a thought does not mean it is true.
Whether we know it or not, our thinking profoundly affects our day-to-day well-being by influencing our emotions and behaviours. We can avoid the impact of our negative thoughts by noticing and challenging them. A little bit of healthy skepticism can go a long way.
Letting our negative thoughts run free can make situations appear worse than they actually are. Challenging our negative thoughts can help solve problems by reducing noisy thoughts that cloud our judgment. It will also help relationships by reducing false assumptions about how others feel about us. Challenging negative thoughts may also improve self-esteem by fostering feelings of control over our minds and perspective.
Here are some examples of how questions you can ask to challenge negative thoughts:
What's the evidence that the thought is true? That it's false?
Is there an alternative way to look at the situation?
What is the likelihood that what I'm worried about will actually happen?
Is the thought based on facts or assumptions?
How can I add more balance to the thought?
Is there an alternative way to look at the situation?
What would a loved one say about the thought?
Am I asking questions with no answers?
Am I using words like always/never, everyone/everything, impossible etc.? Are they appropriate for the situation?
Am I overestimating the chances of disaster? Am I exaggerating the importance of these events?

To book an appointment and learn more about the services I offer, visit cuggypsychotherapy.com

05/25/2023