A book summary of Why Can’t I Let You Go? Break Free from Trauma Bonds, End Toxic Relationships, and Develop Healthy Attachments by Michelle Skeen (PhysD) & Kelly Skeen Introduction As a therapist I meet people who know their relationships are unhealthy. Yet they hang onto the belief they can fix themselves or the other […]
Family Conflict and Mental Health: When Love Has Conditions Family relationships are often described as unconditional. Yet many adults discover love, connection, and belonging to ‘family’ sometimes has expectations. When this happens, family conflict and mental health challenges can happen. Whether the tension involves holiday gatherings, weddings, inheritance, caregiving responsibilities, or repetitious disagreements, emotional stress […]
How to Cultivate Emotionally Safe Spaces In recent years, conversations about emotionally safe spaces have increased in workplaces, schools, counselling settings, and communities. Yet emotional safety is more complex than simply declaring a room, meeting, or organization to be “safe.” Every person enters a room or space with unique experiences, memories, wounds, beliefs, and hopes. […]
Human Being First: Moving from Human Doing to Human Being Why It Matters for Self-Worth Too often we forget that none of us were born only to do. We are not our relationship roles nor our job titles and descriptions. At home, we are more than “the mother,” “the father,” wife, husband, daughter, or son. […]
Boundaries in Relationships Most of us have had our personal boundaries violated. I have been asked in a job interview how much money my husband makes. The obvious answer was “None of your business.” Then there was the manager who patted my behind. Boundaries in relationships help all parties feel emotionally and physically safe. When […]
Even close relationships can drift. Life gets busy, misunderstandings happen, and emotional walls can form between people who still care for one another. Here we explore practical ways to reconnect when disconnection happens. Whether you’re repairing a relationship with a partner, friend, adult child, parent, or sibling, healing often begins with small steps toward understanding, […]
As a therapist, I’ve witnessed relationship killers — the quiet, everyday patterns that slowly damage intimacy, trust, and respect. I’ve also witnessed small, thoughtful acts that strengthen them. And, I’ve had my own fair share of relationship challenges. Relationship killers show up in marriages, friendships and even neighbourhoods. I often see in my therapy practice […]
Why ask this curiosity question? Well, have you ever experienced a moment—an hour, or perhaps an entire day—when you deeply longed to be seen, heard, and acknowledged? Almost everyone at some point desires recognition. Yet many feel unseen, unheard, unacknowledged, or neglected. In my work in parent, family, marriage, group, and individual counseling—having spoken to […]
Almost every week I hear a client or others talk about a relationship they might end. “She drives me crazy! She talks negatively about her life, on and on.” Should you ditch the, so called, negative people in your life? According to motivational guru, Jim Rohn, “You are the average of the five people you […]
“Lean on me, when you’re not strong And I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on…” Yes, we all need someone to lean on! It was at Sunday Service when Amy Bishop began singing Lean on Me, I thought of our world that often praises self-sufficiency and independence. Bill Withers’ 1972 classic, “Lean on […]
“Shame on you!” hits differently than “You are guilty of taking the cookie from the cookie jar.” While they may sound similar, shame and guilt are very different emotional experiences—and both can affect our well-being. Add resentment, especially toward those who trigger these feelings, and it becomes even more complicated. In this post, we’ll explore […]
When it comes to building strong, healthy relationships, two fundamental skills are often overlooked: speaking with courage and listening with compassion. Whether you’re having conversations at home or at work, developing these skills can lead to more meaningful interactions. I often see clients in my counselling therapy practice who wither away in silence of erupt […]