New Paths Counselling

01/20/2026

“Possible” does not mean “probable.”

An anxious mind is great at generating what could happen —
even when the odds are low. And the anxious mind is VERY good at making what "could" happen feel like the inevitable. That's when we need to bring the thought into perspective.

When you notice yourself spiralling, try this gentle reset:

Come back to:
What do I know to be true right now?
What’s most likely?
What’s one small next step?

01/19/2026

01/17/2026

Anxiety narrows your world because your nervous system is trying to protect you and it's REALLY difficult not to listen to those messages.

But what tends to help anxiety over time isn’t forcing calm or chasing certainty.
It’s learning to widen again:
• attention
• tolerance for uncertainty
• trust in your capacity
• a sense of safety that grows, slowly

This isn’t about “fixing” anxiety.
It’s about teaching your nervous system that discomfort isn’t danger — and that you can move through changing conditions.

You don’t have to do this all at once. This comes with small, manageable steps and practice, along with strategies to calm your nervous system.

01/16/2026

Anxiety isn’t just worry.
It’s a set of protective patterns — ways the nervous system tries to keep you safe.

Scanning for threat.
Needing certainty.
Reaching for comfort.
Doubting your ability to cope.

These are just the ways that your brain has tried to protect you because it THINKS you are in danger.

Therapy isn’t about eliminating anxiety or uncertainty.
It’s about learning how to relate to them differently — so they take up less space in your life. Sometimes this first idea feels counterintuitive to relate to -- of course we want to "get rid of" anxiety. But what we resist, often persists. If we keep reinforcing that "yes, this is bad" (by scanning, avoiding situations, doubting our abilities), it tells the brain that the signals are correct -- that keeps anxiety going. We want to teach our brain that we aren't in danger.

We can’t control the weather.
But we can learn how to move through the conditions.

01/13/2026

Anxiety doesn’t show up in just one way.

For some people, it’s worry and anxious thoughts that won’t slow down.
For others, it’s a physical sense of unease — feeling on edge, restless, or nervous without a clear reason.

Both are common. And both are real.

In this post, I’m focusing on anxious thoughts — and on a common strategy that often backfires: trying to stop or control what you’re thinking.

We don’t actually stop thoughts.
What tends to help more is changing how we relate to them — how much attention we give them, and how much power we allow them to have.

This simple experiment helps explain why.

01/03/2026

As this new year begins, be gentle with yourself.

12/31/2025

As the year closes, may you find a moment to breathe, honour what you’ve carried, and step gently into what comes next.

12/28/2025

12/25/2025

Wishing you peace and comfort this holiday season.

12/25/2025

The holidays often come with unspoken expectations — about how we should feel, how we should show up, and what the season should look like. We can struggle when we we have "rules" that don't match with reality.

For many people, this time of year brings a mix of connection and stress, warmth and grief, gratitude and exhaustion.

Making space for what comes up doesn’t mean giving in to it or fixing it.
It means acknowledging your experience- which is all part of the human experience- with compassion and allowing flexibility where possible.

There is room for your real experience here too. Sending compassion to every experience this holiday season.

12/23/2025

Clouds remind us that change is constant. They shift, reshape, and drift, teaching us that nothing stays the same forever. Even the darkest skies eventually clear, and light always finds its way through. Like clouds, we are meant to move, adapt, and evolve.

12/19/2025

Burnout doesn’t always announce itself loudly.
Often it builds quietly, especially during seasons that demand more while giving less space to recover.

Support, rest, and boundaries aren’t signs of weakness — they’re how burnout is prevented.