Eastwind Psychotherapy

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Parry Sound, ON
Eastwind Psychotherapy

After 27 years as a pediatric physiotherapist, I have fully transitioned into my new role as a Registered Psychotherapist.

I have a passion for helping caregivers and parents live more balanced, happier lives, allowing us to bring the best to our kids.

03/01/2026

Self-Care Isn’t About Being Perfect. It’s About Coming Back.

I haven’t been as consistent with these Self-Care Sunday posts as I’d hoped. And I noticed that familiar thought: “Well… you missed a few. You might as well stop.”

That’s all-or-nothing thinking. It’s the part of us that believes if we can’t do something perfectly, we shouldn’t do it at all, and we see it everywhere:

“I missed one day, so I’ve failed.”

“I lost my patience, so I’m not a good parent.”

“I didn’t keep up with it, so what’s the point?”

But self-care isn’t about streaks. It isn’t about discipline or getting it right. It’s about noticing when we’ve drifted… and choosing to return. Gently. Without shaming ourselves. Without making it mean something about who we are.

If there’s something you’ve stepped away from that once supported you, a walk, a boundary, a practice, a conversation, maybe today is just about coming back to it.

That’s enough.

02/16/2026

Family Day can hold many meanings.

For some, it’s loud and full.

For others, it’s complicated.

For many, it’s both.

Today feels like a gentle reminder that family isn’t always defined by genetics. It’s defined by connection.

My blood relatives are spread across this beautiful country, and while I carry them with me, I don’t have family close by geographically. What I do have, and what I’m profoundly grateful for, is chosen family. The souls who show up. Who nourish. Who steady. Who love without condition. Who witness the becoming.

Recently, one of those chosen sisters gave me the most thoughtful gift, a beautiful mat featuring my new logo. She has quietly watched my journey into this profession from the very beginning. She’s seen the doubts, the late nights, the courage it required, and the deep alignment. To be seen like that over time is its own kind of love.

The mat now sits at my door, and I hope my clients love it as much as I do, as it welcomes them to our space. Every time I look at it, I’m reminded that none of us builds anything meaningful alone.

To my dear friend, thank you. For the gift. For your faith in me. For walking alongside me.

And today, I’m curious:

Who is part of your chosen family?

Who are you especially grateful for?

(And yes, Molly approves of the new mat. Of course she does. 🐾)

Wishing you a Family Day that feels supportive in whatever way you most need.

02/01/2026

Self-Care Sunday

One of the most helpful relational tools I share with clients is the feedback wheel.

It’s simple, but not easy, and it works best when we’re speaking from our wise adult self, not from overwhelm, anger, or hurt

The idea is to slow things down and name:

- what happened (as objectively as possible, almost like a video camera would have recorded it, without interpretation)

- the meaning we made of what happened

- how that meaning made us feel (naming an actual emotion)

- what we need or would like moving forward

A few gentle reminders if you try this:

This works best when you ask for permission to share feedback. Timing matters.

Try to use it when you feel relatively grounded; not perfect, just regulated enough to stay connected.

And after you’ve shared your need or request, practice letting go of the outcome.

This part can be hard.

We don’t get to control how someone responds or whether they change. That’s their work, if they choose it. Our work is being clear, honest, and respectful about our inner experience. That’s where our power and integrity live.

Clear doesn’t mean harsh.

Boundaried doesn’t mean unkind.

And speaking up can be an act of care, for yourself and the relationship.

I’d love to hear if you’ve tried it and how it’s worked for you! Wishing you a slow and restorative Sunday.

01/28/2026

Me: snowshoeing, one step at a time.

Molly: living her absolute best life at full speed.

Winter is still wintering, but we’re doing what we can … moving our bodies, borrowing joy where it’s available, and making it through.

How are YOU doin’?

01/25/2026

Self-Care Sunday | Choosing people in a world that keeps asking us to choose sides

If you’ve been feeling more tense, guarded, or disconnected lately, you’re not imagining it.

Our feeds are designed to convince us that the world is deeply divided, that people who think or believe differently than we do are dangerous, ignorant, or “the problem.”

But real life is rarely that simple.

Humans are complex. Messy. Shaped by love, fear, pain, history, and hope, often all at once. Social media doesn’t do complexity well. It rewards outrage and certainty, not compassion or nuance.

Self-care right now might look like being gentle but honest about how much time you spend in digital spaces that harden you.

It might look like questioning the story that says, “If they disagree with me, they must be bad.”

What if we tried, where it’s safe and possible, to put people and their goodness ahead of what divides us?

This doesn’t mean ignoring real differences or silencing yourself. It means remembering that relationships suffer when we reduce one another to a single belief. It means nurturing connection instead of constantly being pulled into sides.

In a world that keeps asking us to harden, self-care might be protecting your capacity for flexibility, compassion, and humanity.

Where might you choose people over polarization this week, even in a small way?

01/21/2026

I’m sharing an important update for current and future clients 🤍

I am now an NIHB-approved mental health provider.

This means that eligible First Nations and Inuit clients can access psychotherapy services with me through Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB), with coverage provided directly through the program.

If you are:

An existing client wondering whether your sessions may now be eligible for NIHB coverage, or

Someone who has been considering therapy but has been navigating financial or access barriers

You’re welcome to reach out or visit my website to learn more about booking and eligibility.

As always, my work is grounded in trauma-informed, culturally respectful care, and I remain committed to providing therapy that is collaborative, ethical, and paced to your needs.

If you’re unsure whether NIHB applies to you, I’m happy to help you explore your options.

01/18/2026

I’ve been thinking this week about Ailey Jolie’s Inbody work and how powerfully it names something many women feel but rarely have language for.

Over time, many of us learn to live from the neck up. We become highly attuned to others’ needs, moods, and expectations. We read the room. We manage, anticipate, adapt. This isn’t a flaw but an intelligent response to the environments we grew up in and the roles we’ve been asked to carry.

For many women, becoming less embodied wasn’t a choice; it was a form of protection. When emotions felt overwhelming, when our voices weren’t welcomed, when it wasn’t safe or supported to take up space, the body learned to quiet itself. To tighten. To disappear just enough to stay connected or stay safe.

The problem is, when we stay disconnected from the body for too long, we also lose access to important signals:

fatigue, hunger, anger, desire, intuition, grief, joy.

Self-care, in this sense, isn’t about doing more.

It’s about listening inward again.

Today, you might gently ask:

What does my body need right now, not my to-do list?

Where do I feel tension, and what might it be holding?

What happens if I slow down just enough to notice my breath, my feet on the floor, the support beneath me?

Coming back into the body is not dramatic or performative. It’s quiet. Gradual. Often subtle. And it happens best when there is safety, permission, and compassion.

If today all you do is notice yourself a little more kindly, that counts. That is the work.

Happy Self-Care Sunday

01/16/2026

As I continue to share about the rebrand to Eastwind Psychotherapy, I wanted to say a little more about the meaning behind the logo.

The east wind has always symbolized change for me. Not the rushed or forced kind, but the kind that clears the air and invites something honest to emerge, even when it feels uncomfortable at first.

At the centre is a small home resting on solid rock. The rock matters. It represents steadiness, safety, and something reliable beneath you when life feels uncertain or emotionally turbulent. Therapy isn’t about pushing through or performing wellness; it’s about having a solid place to land, where you don’t have to hold it together.

The shelter reflects what I hope therapy can be for many people: a place to come home to yourself. A space where you can exhale, soften, and stop performing for others. Where you are not asked to be productive, strong, or “better,” just honest.

The water below represents emotion: movement, depth, and change. Feelings rise and fall, sometimes gently and sometimes with force. Rather than trying to control or avoid them, therapy can help you stay grounded while emotions move through.

And the sunrise (or sunset) speaks to transition. Endings and beginnings often exist at the same time. Therapy lives in that in-between space, honouring what has been, while gently turning toward what’s next.

Eastwind Psychotherapy is grounded, relational, and trauma-informed work. Not about fixing you, but about helping you feel safe enough to be yourself again, even when the winds are strong.

Welcome.

01/15/2026

Why the name Eastwind?

In many traditions, the east wind signals change, not sudden or forceful, but steady and directional. It arrives quietly, shifts the air, and reminds us that movement can happen without being pushed.

That idea fits how I understand therapy.

Change doesn’t come from being fixed, rushed, or forced. It often comes from slowing down, noticing what’s already there, and allowing space for something new to emerge.

Eastwind Psychotherapy reflects a practice grounded in:

steadiness rather than urgency
relationship rather than performance
respect for your inner timing
It’s a name that honours change that unfolds rather than change that is demanded.

Find us at
https://eastwindtherapy.ca/

01/14/2026

Over the past little while, some quiet changes have been unfolding in my professional world, and I’d like to share them with you.

As part of a recent move to incorporation and the development of a new website, Lisa Ivany Psychotherapy has evolved into Eastwind Psychotherapy.

What’s changing:

- The practice name and visual identity
- A new website and booking platform

What’s staying the same:

- The work
- The values
- The pace, care, and relational focus that guide my practice

Eastwind Psychotherapy reflects how I understand the therapeutic process: steady, grounded, and responsive to change, supporting people as they navigate life transitions, relationships, parenthood, trauma, and emotional complexity.

If you’re a current client, there is nothing you need to do. Your care and confidentiality remain exactly as they were.

Thank you for being here and for trusting me with your presence in this space. More details to come.

— Lisa

10/24/2025

It’s Friday Funny time …

Sometimes, it’s not that we’ve lost our minds; it’s that we’re drawn to what stirs them up.

Therapy has a way of helping us notice the patterns we chase (even the “crazy” ones). A little humour helps us hold it all with compassion.

Have the best Friday, Everyone! 😊

10/19/2025

Self-Care Sunday: Boundaries That Protect Your Energy

Some people seem to move through life with strong, clear boundaries, knowing what’s okay for them and what’s not.

For others, especially those who were taught to keep the peace or meet others’ needs first, boundaries can feel blurry. This was me for a significant portion of my life.

Terry Real describes this as being “boundaryless” - when our external boundaries, the invisible line between where we end and others begin, are too porous. Instead of protecting our energy and values, we may take on others’ moods, expectations, or criticisms as our own. Over time, that can leave us feeling drained, resentful, or unsure of who we are in certain relationships.

If this feels familiar, try this short visualization to strengthen your external boundary:

Sit comfortably and take a slow, deep breath.

Imagine a gentle, flexible light surrounding you, like a soft bubble or glow.

This light is yours. It lets in warmth, kindness, and care, but filters out harshness, criticism, or pressure.

When you’re around someone who challenges your sense of self, picture that light brightening just a little.

You don’t need to harden or shut down, just protect what’s inside.

Your boundaries don’t make you cold or distant; they help you stay you, even when the world around you pulls in different directions.

How do you know when your boundaries need tending to?

Address

145 Gibson Street
Parry Sound, ON
P2A1Y1

Telephone

+17057739940

Website

https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1192949, https://eastwindtherapy.ca/contact-us/

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