Marina Dyck - Empowered Counselling

01/28/2026

The University of Guelph, in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing (CCAW), has officially launched the 3rd National Survey of Farmer and Rancher Mental Health in Canada.

This national survey invites farmers and ranchers from all commodities and regions across Canada to share their experiences related to stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, resilience, and coping.

The results will help build a clearer, more current picture of mental health in agriculture and will be compared with findings from previous national surveys conducted in 2016 and 2021.

The Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing (CCAW) is pleased to help amplify this work and support broad participation across the sector. Strong participation helps ensure that future research, programs, and policy decisions are informed by the real experiences of farmers and ranchers.

If you're willing, as an approved workshop facilitator with CCAW, I encourage you to share this survey with your farmer friends and neighbours through your social media channels. Please use this link: https://uoguelph.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_41PZdeZqT9WEcGG
or scan the QR code below and enter to win $200 draw prize.

01/23/2026

Health Expo 2026 is happening today 4 pm to 9 pm at the casino. Come check out the health based vendors and say hi if you are in town.

01/21/2026

Phones didn’t just change how kids spend their time.
They changed how kids regulate, cope, and connect.

Many of the anxiety struggles parents are seeing today make sense when we look at how childhood has shifted onto screens.

I wrote a new blog post on what phones are doing to kids’ developing brains—and, just as importantly, how families can support repair in everyday moments.

👉 Read more: Scrolling into Anxiety

Over the past decade, something profound has shifted in childhood.Rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and emotional dysregulation in children and teens have risen sharply—so sharply that it cannot be explained by better awareness alone. In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan ...

01/08/2026

As a counsellor—and a mom of three—I know how overwhelming parenting can feel. This book came from real life, real messes, and a whole lot of learning along the way. 🤍

30 Days to Better Parenting is for the parent who feels tired, guilty, overwhelmed, and unsure what to try next.
No perfection. No quick fixes. Just simple, compassion-based tools that actually help—one day at a time.

What’s inside:
• 7 developmental milestones
• 30 Be-Attitudes of Parenting
• 60 real-life parenting stories
• Step-by-step guidance for the moments that matter most

If this speaks to you, it might be exactly what you need today.
Right now, the e-book is $4.99, because support should feel accessible.

01/07/2026

Can we be honest for a second?
Some days parenting feels magical.
Other days it feels like survival mode with snacks.

Screens. Anxiety. Big emotions. Disconnection. Burnout.
We’re trying to raise emotionally healthy kids in a world that’s never been more overwhelming.

And most parents aren’t struggling because they don’t care.
They’re struggling because they care so much — but feel unsure, reactive, and exhausted.

As a counsellor, educator, and a mom of three, I’ve been sitting with parents in their most vulnerable moments for years.
I’ve shared the same fears, the same guilt, the same questions — so often I could almost recall them in my sleep.

Parents who love deeply…
but don’t know how to stay calm when things escalate.
Who want to connect — but feel stuck in power struggles, shutdowns, and emotional overload.

If you’ve ever wished you could be a fly on the wall in someone else’s home…
to see how parents handle the hard moments —
the meltdowns, the defiance, the silence, the tears —
and what makes it doable and connecting instead of escalating…

That’s exactly what this book offers.

30 Days to Better Parenting reads like a brief conversation over coffee — not a novel.
Supportive. Honest. Deeply reassuring.

Each chapter is short, practical, and grounded in real life.
No long theory. No overwhelm. Just tools you can use today.

Inside you’ll find:
Real stories
Real struggles
Real words you can actually say
Simple skills organized around 7 age milestones and key themes — emotions, trust, attachment, independence, limits, screens, connection

Because who has time to sit and read lengthy chapters?
This book was written for busy parents — in the middle of real life.

Parenting is hard.
You shouldn’t have to figure it out alone.

You don’t need to become a different parent.
You just need support in the moments that matter most.

No pressure to be perfect.
Just support to feel more grounded, more connected, and more confident.

💰 Limited-time eBook price: $4.99 CAN: https://a.co/d/6QuH6IP📖 Read FREE instantly on Kindle Unlimited
🌟 Also available in Paperback and Hardcover

30 Days To Better Parenting: Raising Confident, Responsible, and Resilient Kids - One Be-Attitude at a Time

01/01/2026

Wishing you happy and healthy 2026! 🎉

12/17/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BjyAgsjpn/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Free Parent Conference

12/17/2025

Ever notice you finally get time off… and that’s when you get sick, crash, or feel oddly low? 🥴🎄

You’re not broken and you’re not “bad at resting” — your nervous system is coming down from survival mode.

I just wrote a new blog post on how to avoid the holiday crash and actually feel rested, including:

• Why “I’m going to do nothing” can trigger a crash

• How to downshift your brain gradually

• Simple ways to recover if you’re already there

You deserve rest that restores you, not knocks you flat. 💛



https://www.marinadyck.com/post/helping-your-body-avoid-the-holiday-crash

11/27/2025

Is anxiety just me being too sensitive?”
A lot of people think this.
Some even hear it from others.
But here’s the truth:

Sensitivity isn’t the problem. Overload is.
When your nervous system is overwhelmed, even small things can feel huge.

It’s not weakness.
It’s not overreacting.
It’s what happens when you’re outside your Window of Tolerance—the zone where your brain and body feel balanced and in control.

Think of it like driving a car:
🚗 Too much “gas” = anxiety, racing thoughts, irritability
🚗 Too much “brake” = shutdown, fog, emotional numbness

When you’re overwhelmed, you slide out of that optimal zone…
and suddenly everything feels “too much” or “not enough.”

The goal isn’t to be less sensitive.
The goal is to get back in the driver’s seat.

🌬️ Slowing your breath
🤝 Reaching out for support
🧘 Gentle movement
🖊 Naming what you feel

These bring you back into your window —
back to a place where sensitivity becomes a strength, not a burden.

Have you ever felt like you slid out of your window?
👇 Share below or save this post to revisit on tough days.

11/20/2025

Every day, I’m reminded that healing is not about “fixing” people — it’s about helping them reconnect with their own wisdom.

My work is grounded in compassion, trauma-informed care, and the belief that every person carries both pain and potential.

I support clients in rediscovering their strength, learning practical tools, and building a more grounded, empowered version of themselves.

If this season feels heavy, please remember: healing is possible — and you don’t have to walk through it alone.

11/12/2025

💭 Your dreams AREN'T random.
They’re your brain’s way of finishing an emotional story that didn’t get resolved during the day. Even nightmares are healing attempts—the brain replaying a feeling until you reclaim your voice, safety, or power.
Want to know how to uncover the real message behind your dreams?✨
Learn the 2 ways to understand the mystery—through emotion and story arc—in my latest blog.
🔗 Read more by clicking below.

Have you ever woken up from a vivid dream, wondering what it was trying to tell you? Or maybe from a nightmare that felt so real, your heart was still racing long after you opened your eyes?Dreams are one of the brain’s most fascinating ways of processing emotions and experiences. They are not ran...

11/04/2025

A heartfelt thank you to all who stopped in to visit my display at the Shaunavon Health and Wellness Expo. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people, share brainy insights on mental health and sleep wellness, and connect with our community. Your energy and curiosity made the day amazing! ❤️🌟