The Transforming Mind

Now accepting new virtual therapy clients! Not sure about if we are a good fit? Book a free 15 minute consultation to ensure you'll be happy with your services.
Follow the link
www.thetransformingmind.janeapp.com
to book now!

I have some special news coming at you very soon! Once everything is up and running I'll let you in on the little secret!

Stay tuned ❤️

Survive vs. Thrive

I talk about this a lot in sessions with clients and work with clients to bring them back down into a space that allows them to connect.

When we talk about trauma healing, what we're really talking about is priming you for the ability to connect again, whether it is environment, other people, nature...whatever ways will benefit you, the client!

This all starts with trust, safety, and security.

Let's talk about it.

My name is Carmen and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor. I work with clients who experience Trauma, Substance use, burnout, and more. From the frontlines of the DTES to this funny little Instagram Square I've experienced it all. So let's work together! Check the link in my bio and get started on this journey together.
Can't wait to meet you!
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I've come up against this a lot lately and I felt the need to speak to it.

Often times I find people say I don't want to be dependent on this substance anymore, but I don't want to be uncomfortable making my way through detoxing or suffer through cravings.

Why?

What about it is uncomfortable for you?
Is it the physical feeling?
Is it that you don't want to feel the buried emotions coming up?

What about the process is uncomfortable.

Then let's go from there. Let's start building coping tools for you to reach for when things get to overwhelming.

If you're so focused on the feeling of discomfort you may be getting in the way of you succeeding.

Discomfort happens before growth. Never forget that.
❤️

Want to work with me? I'm currently accepting clients in my online practice. Follow the link in bio to book a free 15 minute consultation. Let's work together to achieve your goals!

Cravings are the worst, but hopefully these tips/tricks are helpful for you.
Like I always say, take what you need and leave the rest. 💜

We all want to get the most out of therapy, but sometimes don't know how to maximize our experiences in session.

Try out these tips to ensure you're making the most of your experience!

Interested in counselling sessions with me?
I still have some spots open for my February promotion! Get your first 4 sessions with me for $110/hr rather than $140.

Check the link in my bio for my website and booking link!

When working with trauma, I always tell my clients that we don't need to focus on the events themselves. If they feel comfortable discussing the events that caused wounds, that I'd be honored to hear, but it's not necessary and can in fact cause more harm when we aren't ready to talk about our traumas.

Gabor Mate talks about healing the wound. Trauma is the psychic wound left by an event, the event itself is not traumatic.

Trauma is a completely subjective experience, what may feel traumatic to one person, may not be traumatic to another.

Where does healing begin? Healing begins when we are able to process the feelings we have and we begin to get curious about our wounds. It can take years to process and make meaning out of our feelings, or it can take weeks. Each person is so unique. ❤️

Bringing back the journal prompts!
Lately I've been chatting a lot with clients about the ways they were taught to cope growing up so that's been the inspiration for these prompts.

If you weren't taught how to cope growing up, how did that impact how you cope now? How did you discern what was positive Coping and what was negative coping? Drop your answers in the comments below (only if you feel comfortable!)
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New blog post up and ready for you. It's been a minute folks! But we're back and back in full force!

This week I got personal. Take a gander if you feel drawn to.

Link in bio
🥰

For the rest of the month of February, enjoy $30 off each of your first 4 sessions.

Last year when this promo came on spots were taken very quickly and I only have 4 spots this year.

Take advantage of having 4 sessions for the price of 3.

This is the perfect opportunity for anyone who is unsure about sessions and wants to ease in with less of a financial commitment or for those who may not be able to afford the full session fee right now.

Book today!

I can't wait to work with you!

Never feel shame for doing whatever you could to get to where you are now.

If substance saved you and got you through to this point, they did their job.

Now it's time to assess if it's working for you or if it's getting in your way.

Currently, I am accepting clients and if this post speaks to you, I want to help you do the work. You deserve to heal, and I want to help facilitate that.

Check the link in my bio for website and booking! Can't wait to work with you!

"You're strong, you'll get through this, just keep going"
"Keep pushing"
"Hustle through it"
These sound familiar?

Sometimes when we are in a lot of mental pain, these are the messages that we get. It's a narrative driven into us at a young age.

But guess what?

You don't need to be strong. In fact, if you are someone who is always perceived as the strong one, I encourage you to crumble.

There is something so necessary about crumbling, it helps you grow. It helps you process.

It prevents mental health from getting worse.

Trust me. Sometimes it better to crumble every once in a while.

You may even be stronger for it in the end.

Hey everyone! It's been relatively quiet on my end this holiday season since it was my daughters first Christmas and New Years. I just wanted to come on here and say happy new year.

I know the last year wasn't a treat for everyone, I know I had my struggles, but I hope this year you get what you need.

Enjoy this fresh new page.
I'll be coming back to you soon with some new year promos.

❤️

With the holidays FAST approaching here are some tips to help you make it through with those boundaries in tact.
❤️

Keeping it nice and simple today!

If you are finding you are being hard on yourself, remember, you are doing the best you can with what you have right now.

You innately know what you need, in fact you are the only one who can know what you need, you know yourself best.

If you feel you need additional help or want to have a safe space to explore your experiences I am accepting virtual clients right now. I have one sliding scale spot available right now. If you want to take it, follow the link in my bio to my website and to my booking page.
❤️

The holidays are a stressful time for everyone but especially those navigating sobriety.

Follow these 5 tips to get you through the holiday season!

Follow for more sobriety content!

Looking for someone to help keep you accountable this season? I'm currently accepting clients! If you're interested in working with me, check the links in my bio! I offer free 15 minutes consultations for anyone to ensure we are a good fit!

Chat soon
xx

Our brain is wired to protect us at all costs, which is why our brains tend to be geared towards the negative.

Whether it's a moment of embarrassment that follows us for years after or it's a traumatic event that happens in our lives, our brains are engineered to remember that.

Though trauma can be difficult to actually remember, our body and senses step in and hold onto those moments for us.

This is why exercises that train our brains to look at the positive are so important.

Remember our brains can be rewired, nothing is set in stone forever. ❤️

Want to work with me? I'm currently accepting virtual clients in Canada. Follow the link in my bio for booking or check out my website!

With the holidays fast approaching, the weather turning colder and the days getting shorter, it makes sense that you may be feeling burned out!

Check out these tips I have to help you feel less burned out from your remote work.

Hint: boundaries baby!

Burnout! Let's talk about it!

Burnout affects approximately 1 in every 3 people in Canada!

With all of the life stressors we've endured the last few years it's no wonder Canadians are struggling.

Let's talk about and normalize burnout, because it affects everyone.

Unfamiliar with burnout? Use this blog post as your guide to understand what burnout is and questions you can use as reflection!

Stay warm, be safe, enjoy your Thursday ❤️

Burnout. Us millennial kids know ALL about this one! Often in media, burnout shows up as something to be poked fun at.

Corporate Burnout.
Frontline Burnout.
Caregiver Burnout.

These are just a few different kinds of burnout. And as the year comes to an end, I often find people tend to edge more towards burnout.

Not sure if you're burned out? Here's some signs an symptoms that you are getting there.

This holiday season don't forget to prioritize yourself too.

Hello! My name is Carmen and I am new to Calgary. I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor and offer one on one virtual counselling services. I also create mental wellness workshops for businesses to distributeto employees. I specialize in Substance Misuse and Trauma. I am also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. I am currently in the process of obtaining my Registered Provisional Psychologist title. I'm currently accepting new clients as well as collaborations for workshops! I have sliding scale fees available for those who cannot currently afford full fee counselling. Feel free to message me with any questions you may have!

Today is World Mental Health Day

Take the time you need to heal and live as your most authentic self. ❤️

Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful and thanks for continuing to come back here to learn, to heal, to find solace. It is my pleasure to provide you this space.

Understanding the difference between sobriety and recovery is a great first step in understanding where are you at.

Just because you have taken a step away from the substance you abused does not mean you have put in the time to heal yourself so that it doesn't happen again.

You can be free from substances and still suffer from whatever put you in the position to abuse substances in the first place.

This can also lead to abuse of other things such as food, shopping, work etc because you are try to avoid.

So where are you at? Are you recovering or are you sober?

4k Giveaway!

Thank you so much for 4,000! Having so many people interested in this page is such an absolute honor!

So let's get to the details, what you can win:

1 of 2 free virtual one on one sessions with me ($140 value)

ENTRY DETAILS:
1. Make sure you are following this Instagram page!
2. Share this post to your story
3. Tag some friends, each friend tagged is one entry to the giveaway!

Open to Canadian Residents only! Must be 18 hears of age or older to be able to participate. Giveaway closes October 10, 2022 and the winners will be chosen by random draw on October 12, 2022.

*Giveaway is in no way affiliated, sponsored, or endorsed by Instagram

Alcohol is one of those substances that is conflicting and divisive, maybe because of the legality of it.

Alcohol is SO engrained in our society that the moment someone says they aren't drinking, it becomes an interrogation.

"Why aren't you drinking? Are you pregnant?"
"Do you struggle with alcohol"
"Drinking too much lately?"
"Why?"

People use alcohol as a way to cope too, think Wine mom's, having a drink after work to 'unwind', going to hang out with friends and the whole event being centered around drinking.

I'd like to challenge you to think about this. AND I'd also like to encourage you to change the way you react when someone says no to alcohol.

Offer a non alcoholic drink
Accept no as a legitimate answer
You aren't owed an explanation.

September 30 - truth and reconciliation day in Canada.

As I reflect on my families history in residential schools, the 60s scoop, I question what reconciliation means to me.

It's not about an apology to me, just like Eddy, it's about acknowledgement of wrongdoings, it's about continuously making progress and trying to make changes to improve.

We are doing an injustice as a people in Canada. We still have a massive amount of deaths in the indigenous population disproportionate to white people. It's in the form of missing men and women, it's in the form of murder, it's in the form of opioid addiction and deaths, and finally it's in the form of trauma. There are many more ways but this is just to name a few.

I implore you to take today to reflect on how intergenerational trauma impacts the indigenous population and how trauma is continually perpetuated.

Reflect on what you can do to improve your community and educate yourself on the history of indigenous treatment.

We can always do better, but we still need to do better in this area.

The first year of recovery is quite possible the hardest!

Research indicates that the chances of a slip up or a relapse in the first year can be up to 85%.

Don't let that discourage you. Relapse and Slip Ups are a very normal part of the process.

There are many reasons for this and they are available in the post above.

This is part of the ongoing conversations I have with clients in my sessions! Keeping the tools we have and maintaining connection to the self and others are of the utmost importance!

Stay tuned for a post on how to keep yourself supported in the first year and how to keep yourself supported beyond the first year.

I officially have some summer updates for you!

This summer has been so nice and restful for me and my family and now that things are beginning to settle in, it's time to turn focus towards work.

As of September 5, 2022 I will be returning to working with clients. This will be a very slow return to work to ensure balance in my new family.

I will begin to work with clients on Thursdays every week, as things get busier and balance is maintained, I will start expanding my hours!

Additionally, I have relocated to Calgary, AB , this will not affect my BC clients in any way! I will be maintaining my RCC designation and am awaiting my CCC registration to better serve my new Alberta clients!

Finally, I am taking on private practice clients in a sliding scale capacity to better serve clients in general.

If you don't have insurance coverage, cannot afford counselling services or anything in between contact me to secure a spot. Ranging from $75-130!