OPEN SKIES Therapy

11/13/2025

🌌 Land of the Living Skies. 🥹 🙏🏽

We drove outside the city tonight to watch the majestic sky dance and remind us that this universe we live in so very beautiful. I was so grateful and likely annoyed my family with 85 sky analogies to life/mental health.

Tonight, I’m reminded again of how colourful life is and if you’re reading this Mother Nature is speaking to us tonight- telling us to slow down and enjoy a playful dance or two ourselves. She reminds us to light up our own paths and make magical moves.

09/23/2025

You may have seen today’s U.S. announcements about autism. We want to clear up a few points for families in Canada:
❌ Myth: Tylenol in pregnancy causes autism
✅ Fact: Research does not support this as a proven cause. Studies have shown only a correlation - NOT causation. Medical organizations in Canada do not recognize acetaminophen as a cause of autism.
❌ Myth: Leucovorin is a treatment for autism
✅ Fact: Leucovorin may support language development in a very small subgroup of children with a rare condition (cerebral folate deficiency). More research is needed to determine its safety and efficacy within the Canadian healthcare context. It is not a recognized or approved treatment for autism overall.
❌ Myth: Vaccines cause autism
✅ Fact: Extensive research has found no link between vaccines and autism. Vaccines are safe, effective, and critical for protecting children’s health.

In Canada, our health policies and medical guidance are based on the best available science. Autism is complex, and there is no single known cause or cure. What we do know is that early, individualized, evidence-based support makes the greatest difference in a child’s development. ♾️
If you have questions about autism services, assessments, or supports, please reach out. We’re here to help. 💙

09/07/2025

WE ARE SO EXCITED TO WELCOME RACHELLE PHILLIPS (registered psychologist) TO OUR OPEN SKIES TEAM! 🌞 ⛅️

Rachelle completed her Master of Counselling Psychology degree through Athabasca University in 2017, following Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Regina. She is a Registered Psychologist with the Saskatchewan College of Psychologists ( #1065) and practices in alignment with the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists (CPA).

With over 18 years of experience working with children, youth, and families at a community based organization, Rachelle brings a strong background in trauma-informed, evidence-based care. She has supported young people with diverse needs, and is dedicated to helping them increase resilience, develop skills, and build confidence as they navigate life’s challenges.

In her practice, Rachelle supports children and adolescents experiencing concerns such as anxiety, depression, trauma, emotional regulation, and relationship difficulties. She takes an integrative, client-centered approach, tailoring therapy to each individual’s unique needs and circumstances. Rachelle often draws upon various therapeutic modalities in her practice including Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Motivational Interviewing, amongst others. She creates a safe and collaborative space where clients feel understood and empowered to make meaningful change.

Outside of her work, Rachelle loves to laugh, and spend time with her family, friends, and dog. She enjoys relaxing at the beach, camping, reading, and gardening.
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Rachelle offers counselling and mental health therapy services to children and adolescents. Services may include treatment for a variety of mental health concerns including:
-Anxiety
-Depression
-Anger Management
-Adjustment Disorders
-Stress Management
-Behavioural Problems
-Grief and Loss
-Conflict Resolution and Communication
-Trauma
-Safety Planning and Crisis Management
-Relational Concerns and Social Skills

You can book online with Rachelle at www.openskiestherapy.com

08/20/2025

☀️ 🌳 KOREMBI 🌳 ☀️ is a word I recently learned that comes from the Japanese language/culture. The word korembi (木漏れ日) is a compound of 木 (ko, “tree”) and 漏れ日 (morebi, “leaking sunlight” or “sunlight filtering through”).

One thing about me is that I always find ways to connect nature to themes of interconnectedness, hope, mindfulness, and the broader aspects of life. Nature has a way of symbolizing these deeper truths, making it a perfect reflection of the way we experience and grow through life’s ups and downs.

The light filtering through the trees is ever-present, always shifting, and shining in unique ways at different times. The sun doesn’t stay in one spot—it moves, illuminating parts of the forest that may have once been cloaked in shadow.

The dance between light and shadow reminds us that our journeys are full of ebbs and flows—never quite linear, but always evolving. At times, we may find ourselves lost in moments of doubt or uncertainty, yet these periods are integral to our growth. Just as a forest thrives with both light and shade, our challenges and triumphs work in tandem to build resilience and deepen our understanding. The light will always return, and it’s through the contrast with the shadows that we come to truly appreciate the clarity it brings.

06/03/2025

And if you look closely, you’ll see love is all around us.

(Pictured here: a circular plant growth with a heart shape in between growing outside of Open Skies Therapy)

05/24/2025

Such a fun night with our good friends Tania & Mike at the Bring Em Up Gala! The Bring Em Up organization provides support for immigrant and refugee children, helping them integrate into sports!

The narrative shared by the presenters was really touching and really illustrated the unique challenges that our immigrant families can have when moving to a new place and how sports can be an integral part of belonging and mental wellness.

05/16/2025

Wanna join our fantastic fun-loving team of clinicians!? We have a PT position opening, starting late August, and we are looking for a psychologist or social worker to join us! Email me at openskiestherapy@gmail.com or message me here if interested!

Much warmth,

Teena, Open Skies

03/17/2025

Happy Social Work week to all my friends, colleagues and peers! This year’s theme ‘social work is everywhere’ is certainly very true. Most social workers I know have chosen their profession as they are intrinsically drawn to social advocacy, justice, and the pursuit of uplifting humanity.

Social workers often have a personal identity that aligns with their professional identity with their values for connection, compassion, non-judgment, fairness, and empathy often being just “who they are.”

As a result, they are often practicing SOCIAL WORK EVERYWHERE. With the sociopolitical and economic climate shifting rapidly, I have observed social work transmitting through our communication and conversations all around us, everywhere.

We are providing education, seeing what we can do in our control to assist, and standing committed to our ideals and belief systems that fight for equality routinely. Seeing humans in their environments lends us the ability to treat them as such, and doesn’t end with just therapy but connecting them to resources and providing advocacy often.

To all my social workers out there, you do change the world. You are everywhere, always. Sending extra love to you this week.

02/11/2025

With Valentine’s Day approaching, I would like to flip the narrative from intimate love to human love for one another. As the world is increasingly feeling more divided and daily news sheds light on human pain, I wonder if love day could be a reminder that human-KIND (emphasis on kind) can find simple ways of uplifting one another, making each other feel like we belong to a community and sharing in togetherness. However, you do that, can be creative and unique. Maybe, you talk to someone who appears lonely. Maybe you reach out to a friend you’ve missed. Maybe, you volunteer or engage in advocacy. Love day ought to be a reminder of spreading love daily. Trust me, those small moves, can create a lot of change for someone.

Sending togetherness and love to you and yours from Open Skies. ❤️

01/19/2025

🌞 🐶 SUN DOGS 🐶 🌞

Once again, the sky illustrates for us that even on the coldest of days the ice can reflect beauty back towards us. With tomorrow being Blue Monday, we hope you can look back on the last year, highlighting colourful and beautiful moments that helped you shine on your coldest of days.

01/18/2025

When kids experience stressful events, the memory of the ‘yucky stuff’ can sometimes get stuck in the brain, causing little ones to re-experience some of the mixed up thoughts, feelings, and sensations related to the event.

EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) is a type of therapy that can help the brain to sort out all of the mixed up thoughts and feelings to make room in the mind, body, and heart for more good & peaceful feelings (kind of like digestion, we keep the good stuff that makes us grow and get stronger, and get rid of what we no longer need 💩).

Brianna (MSW, RSW) was lucky enough to train under Ana Gomez, an international leader in child trauma treatment and become one of the first clinicians in the province of Saskatchewan to become a certified child EMDR specialist!

Brianna is currently still accepting children and youth clients for EMDR therapy and can be located on our website at www.openskiestherapy.com

For more inquiries, she can be contacted at openskiesbrianna@gmail.com

01/04/2025