John Zak Counselling

07/01/2025

Embrace the warmth of summer as a season of transformation. Start your journey toward healing with personalized therapy sessions designed to help you overcome anxiety, trauma, and life’s challenges. Reconnect with yourself and discover emotional balance through compassionate, one-on-one support.

03/27/2023

There are many different ways to find inner healing from our past wounds. That being said, more and more research is pointing to the importance of incorporating the body as a way to process and reintegrate traumatic experiences. This week I am beginning my journey of being trained in Somatic Experiencing and I am very excited :) I plan to continue to specialize as a trauma therapist because this is the area of counselling that I am most passionate about.

03/20/2023

When people find out I'm a therapist, a common response I hear is "I could never do that job."

At this point, I couldn't imagine doing anything else. While it may be a difficult career, it is very rewarding and comes with deep moments of meaning and joy. I have big plans for 2023, so stay tuned :)

03/17/2023

Whenever I read this quote, it always gives me the encouragement to keep moving forward.

Whenever I read this quote, it always gives me the encouragement to keep moving forward.

Frankl reminds us of the importance of adopting an internal locus of control and doing everything in our power to take the steps towards change. As frustrating as it is, we cannot change others. However, the good news is we can always work on ourselves and hope that this will have a positive impact on those around us and the situations we find ourselves in.

If you're feeling stuck and need support in changing yourself to better cope with life's challenges, don't hesitate to reach out for help. Counselling can provide you with the guidance and tools you need to thrive even in the midst of adversity.

03/13/2023

Since deciding to specialize as a trauma therapist, Polyvagal Theory (PVT) has given me insights that have greatly enhanced my work. Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, the theory explains the function of our nervous system and how our survival-based responses (fight, flight, or freeze) to threat help explain mental health conditions such as PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression.

Check out my full blog on PVT to learn more about how it can help us understand and regulate our emotions.

https://johnzakcounselling.com/blog/f/what-is-polyvagal-theory

-regulation

Polyvagal Theory was developed by Dr. Stephen Porges and relates to how humans function on a nervous system level. While there are many aspects of this, the core elements of the theory include hierarchy, neuroception, an...

03/06/2023

Pain and suffering are often seen as negative experiences that we try to avoid or overcome. However, they can also hold hidden gifts that can help us grow and thrive.

Psychological research has shown that these experiences can increase our empathy, resilience, and appreciation for life. When we face challenges, we have the opportunity to develop new skills, values, and perspectives that can enrich our lives and relationships. We can also deepen our sense of purpose and meaning, as we reflect on what really matters to us and what we want to contribute to the world.

All that being said, this does not mean we should minimize or invalidate the suffering of ourselves/others. Suffering must be met with love, compassion, and understanding. This provides the opportunity for healing, growth, and resilience.

02/20/2023

In the words of addiction specialist Gabor Maté, “the first question is not why the addiction; it's why the pain?” Addictions offer temporary escape from pain but never satiate our underlying needs and yearnings. In this way, our addictions are not the primary problem, but our desperate attempt to solve the problem of overwhelming pain.

Hence, addiction recovery needs to focus on healing the core trauma (s) so that the compulsive behaviour is no longer needed. When these wounds are healed, our internal working model (perception of self/others) begins to shift in an adaptive way. We start to see ourselves as lovable and others as reliable/safe enough to share our distress with. This is why counselling can be so powerful. When a therapist shows up as a non-judgemental, compassionate presence, positive brain change can occur through corrective emotional experiences.

If you want to read more, check out my latest blog post here:

https://johnzakcounselling.com/blog/f/breaking-the-cycle-a-guide-to-overcoming-addiction

02/07/2023

Time goes by quickly, and before we know it, it's gone forever. Let's make the most of every moment and live a life filled with purpose and fulfillment. Investing in our passions, relationships, and personal growth, will bring a greater sense of joy and create memories that will last a lifetime. Rather than focusing on next week, month, or year, ask yourself, how can I make the most out of right now? This is a key step towards making the most out of every opportunity we are given.

01/23/2023

It can be incredibly difficult to support our loved ones who are struggling with mental health, especially if we do not have professional training. In this post I provide some insight into how to walk alongside those in need of help.

https://traumacounsellor.ca/blog/f/how-to-support-loved-ones-with-mental-health-issues

All of us are impacted by mental health issues in one way or another. Without question, one of the most painful places to be in is seeing a loved one struggle, and not knowing how to support them. In this post, I will hi...