“I’m not in the garden. I’m on a rock in the garden!” This statement was uttered with that assurance only a 5 year old has when they’ve discovered a loophole in the rule you’ve just set for them. There were lots of loophole-finding people out yesterday when my husband and I went for a short …
I glanced out the window today and finally noticed buds on the trees. When did that happen? Would I even have noticed them last Tuesday when it was snowing so hard and I was so desperate for any sign of spring. Spring has been a topic that arises in many of my discussions with youth …
Meditation is an excellent practice for health and mental health, but it can be challenging to learn. Just Sit: A Meditation Guidebook for People Who Know They Should But Don’t is a book for anyone familiar with the challenge, but who wants to learn to meditate. The book is exactly what the title says. It …
For a change of pace, I thought I would review a new magazine I have discovered called Flow. Flow has this tagline: A magazine that takes its time. I picked my copy up in Britain, but Flow can be purchased in Canada and the United States or online at flowmagazine.com. I am still reading my …
A few weeks ago, I wrote Journaling and Mental Health to remind readers of the value of journaling. As a short guide to journaling, for both young adults and their parents, I recommend Keeping a Journal by Trudi Strain Trueit. This is a concise, clearly written text on the subject that can help anyone get …
Sometimes I feel as if I am the world’s worst psychiatrist. Mostly this happens when I cannot seem to communicate an idea that should be straightforward. This happened to me last week when I was working with a group of patients on self-compassion. All my patients are adolescents and adolescence can be a very challenging …
I am on holiday this week. I’m walking, knitting, reading and writing like I never do at home. During the past few days, I have read Rachael Matthews’ The Mindfulness in Knitting:Meditations in Craft and Calm. This reading continues my consideration of mindfulness and allowed me to understand how knitting can be a mindful as …
In the wake of the most recent celebrity suicides, I want to speak about two practices that we can learn that combat depression. I am convinced of the value of these practices not just from the fact that research (particularly Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Research) has confirmed their value, but because my patients have consistently told …
About one month ago I made marmalade with the Seville oranges that are imported to Canada from Spain in the late winter. Seville oranges are said to make the best marmalade and so, every March, I buy five oranges, add the right amount of sugar and water and one lemon and make a dozen jars …
