Songbird Counselling

11/10/2025

With less than 8 weeks left to 2025 (eek! Terrifying!) now is the time to start scheduling in some wellness appointments before the chaos of the holidays 🗓️💖

Make sure you have some time for yourself 🧘

10/31/2025

Have a safe and Happy Halloween! 🎃

10/22/2025

Just in time for spooky season 🎃

If you’ve ever caught yourself saying one of these phrases please know there’s nothing wrong with you, I catch myself saying some of them from time to time

These phrases represent the struggle we can all have with self compassion and it’s scary to think there are times we don’t view ourselves with love and support 🧡🖤

10/10/2025

09/28/2025

While doing my psychology degree we were taught in multiple classes how to conduct, interpret and discuss good research. While I haven’t done any studies myself since my undergrad, knowing how to read research articles has come in handy numerous times 🧐📖

When learning about new research studies there are several ways that information can be shared or interpreted incorrectly.

First, it can be flawed at the base level. Sometimes the people funding the design, or even the researchers themselves, have a bias and want to prove one specific idea and as a result they’ll manipulate the data or design. For good data we want big and diverse test groups, a reputable research team, unbiased funding and agreement from the professionals already working in that field 🗞️📺

The second way research may be misinterpreted is how it is reported. News and media rely on engaging headlines to get people to read their articles, often making bold claims about the results of some new study. This can lead to a lot of misunderstanding about the actual results of the study. As a general rule, if it sounds too good to be true or it completely contradicts all previous research, it may require a deeper look 🔎

Research does not equal fact. When new studies are highlighted all over our media make sure you stay vigilant and keep an eye out for things that seem unethical, biased, contradictory or just feel off. You don’t have to be a research expert to keep an eye out for these red flags! 🚩

09/07/2025

Even the tiniest steps count 🐌💛 Healing isn’t a race, go at the pace that feels right for you!

08/18/2025

I’m sure we’ve all caught ourselves thinking something negative about who we are, how we look or how we act. Sometimes that could just be a singular passing thought or an echo of someone who wasn’t so kind to us in the past 💭🗣️

But when that voice is constant it can feel really heavy and exhausting. It might stop us from trying new things, building healthy relationships and living authentically 😔

How might your life look different if you only spoke to yourself with compassion? 🧠💕

Bonus prompt: what do you think is the first step in reaching that life?

08/12/2025

With wildfires starting up all over the place, it’s easy to feel on edge, I know I do. Anxiety right now is totally normal but it can also be incredibly draining. We can help reduce our anxiety by choosing one or two trusted sources for updates and checking them at set times instead of constantly refreshing.

Check government updates and create a clear action plan with a ready-to-go bag, mapped evacuation routes, and essentials like medications, chargers, and important documents. It can help you feel more secure knowing you’re prepared.

When the anxiety feels like it’s taking over, anchor yourself with some grounding techniques. I’ve listed a couple here but there are 100s of techniques you can search for on google, Pinterest or even tiktok.

Maintain your normal eating, drinking, and sleep routines the best you can and give your brain breaks with activities you enjoy. Reach out to loved ones, professionals or other places where you can share your concerns. And go easy on yourself, these are scary times.

Preparedness plus moments of calm can help your body and mind combat the uncertainty.

08/07/2025

My current read is actually a re-read because I love it so much. As a parts therapist myself I’m a little biased towards loving everything Richard Schwartz writes but this book is a top pick of mine when it comes to helping clients build healthy and sustainable relationships

The idea behind You’re the One You’ve Been Waiting For is exactly as the title states, the power in realizing you don’t need a partner to rescue you, you’re the one with the power to do that. When we have parts of ourselves that feel desperate for love and security we often look to our partners to nurture those parts and get angry when they can’t. This book is all about learning to care for the deep, dark parts of ourselves so the burden is no longer on the relationship or our partners

08/03/2025

Your nervous system is a biological alarm bell that is designed to keep you safe. Anxiety is the warning sign that there is a threat we need to adjust our behaviours for. 🚨🫨

Sometimes that threat is heavy rain when we are driving and we can keep ourselves safe by adjusting our speed and being more alert. But sometimes that “threat” is calling a restaurant to make a reservation, parking at a new place for the first time or having to ask an employee for help finding an item. 📱🚙

Sometimes our anxiety doesn’t seem to make sense to us and it can be incredibly frustrating. We might not understand why the alarm bells are going off but we have to trust that in that moment, our body is doing its best to try and keep us safe.

So instead of feeling ashamed of your nervous system response or angry at yourself for having it. Try out some self compassion and focus on reminding yourself (and your nervous system) that you either are safe or you can make some choices to feel safer like relaxation techniques, boundaries and self care 🧠💕

07/28/2025

In an effort to continue making my practice more accessible I am excited to be able to offer direct billing for sessions! Save yourself the hassle and time of submitting receipts for sessions

I am currently able to direct bill with most major insurance companies and I am continuing to add to that list. Please keep in mind that every insurance policy is different and some policies may not cover counselling sessions with me (unfortunately).

If you have any questions about direct billing please don’t hesitate to reach out!

07/18/2025

With AI models like ChatGPT growing in popularity it is important to be mindful as we use it. AI models are often designed to be validating which can feel really good and it makes it easy to open up. 💻

While AI can feel really helpful, it is not a substitute for therapy and can often times be harmful.

AI is not designed to notice hallucinations, delusions or manic thinking. They are not trained to understand the complexities of trauma or a mental crisis. It can’t recognize the physical signs of distress and the emotional shift in tone. It can never understand what it means to be human. 🧠❤️‍🩹

It is also not designed to be a replacement for connection. AI will never laugh with you, will never cry with you, will never notice that you finally change your hair colour like you’ve been wanting to for months. 👥💕

I understand that therapy is not always affordable and that life sometimes dictates our access to support, but please do not let AI models be the only thing filling that gap. Reach out to friends, call support lines, look up low cost therapy programs in your area, make your wellness journey diverse. If you need support finding free and low cost options please don’t hesitate to reach out!