Juniper Counselling

It's official! We are now located at 305-2502 St. John's street

Just follow the signage to the 3rd floor - you won't be able to miss us! Looking forward to supporting you and building community in our new space!

Amidst the hustle of the adult world, there often lies a child yearning for love, understanding, and a sense of belonging. Perhaps our childhood didn’t mirror these ideals, leaving a longing for a different reality. It’s okay to feel the pain of that missing piece, to acknowledge the child within who yearns for healing.

But our past doesn’t define our worth. We are capable of creating a loving and supportive environment for ourselves, right now. Beneath the layers of responsibilities and expectations, this inner child is the heart of our creativity, joy, and vulnerability.

It’s time to extend that gentle embrace to ourselves. Let’s nurture the playful spirit within, allowing it to flourish and bring a fresh perspective to our lives. Remember, it’s okay to be silly, curious, and open-hearted.

Share with us what the little you might need and how can you hold your little self a little tighter.... just for a while longer 🤍

We often get judged by others and in turn, judge ourselves for “being too much” or “not enough” in various ways. But here’s the truth: those judgments are often based on unrealistic standards and not on who we truly are. Remember, “You’re not too much, you’re just enough.” 💖

Instead of critiquing ourselves for our unique qualities or needs, let's recognize them as part of our individuality. Imagine you’re a skilled artisan, and each trait you have is a deliberate brushstroke in the masterpiece that is YOU!

When we start to appreciate and accept our true selves, we break free from self-doubt and embrace our inherent value. So, let’s celebrate our authentic selves and acknowledge that we are perfectly enough. 🌈✨

Since we couldn’t possible capture all that we learnt in one post, here’s a Part 2 of what we took away from Inside out 2! The movie beautifully captures the struggle and triumph of finding and losing balance within the chaos of our emotional lives.

Seeing Riley grow and change, reminded us so much of our journey -- trying to figure out our selves while attempting to embrace some and run away from other parts of ourselves.

If you haven’t seen it yet, prepare to laugh, cry, and maybe even gain a new perspective on your own inner world. It’s a poignant reminder that we’re all on this emotional rollercoaster together, and it’s okay to feel every twist and turn 🤍

Have you ever had a movie that made you reflect deeply on your own experiences? Share your thoughts—We’d love to hear your perspectives!

Disney has historically done a great job at showcasing complex concepts such as love, expectations, purpose and meaning making by breaking them down to little pieces that are much more tangible. Inside out was a milestone and we’ve been waiting for the second part for a very long time! And its safe to say that it didn’t disappoint at all!!

If you haven’t watched it already, this might be a worthwhile experience on your journey toward self-discovery! And if you have, here’s a few things that we took away from it...

Share your thoughts on what was helpful and what you thought about the movie! And of course, there’s a part 2, couldn’t possible fit everything in one post!! Stay tuned for more!

One of the things we are most excited about in our new space is having our very own waiting area!

Come to session a few minutes early, make yourself a cup of tea and see what art, craft or game we have waiting for you.

From August 19th thru September you can try Japanese rock wrapping while you wait for your appointment. It's s a great mindfulness exercise, and it's easier than it looks! We will have all the supplies and instruction you need :)

The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new
-Socrates

Getting excited about moving into our new office! Painting starts soon - stay tuned!!!

It's time to ditch the apologies for simply being human! Setting boundaries, shedding tears, taking a breather, or claiming your own time and space — these are all part of the journey, and they're totally okay 💖

These are not signs of weakness; they're powerful acts of self-love and preservation. Setting boundaries means honoring your needs and respecting your limits in relationships. Shedding tears is a raw expression of your emotions, a testament to your strength and vulnerability. Taking time for yourself is essential for recharging and finding clarity amidst life's chaos.

So, let's embrace these moments unapologetically, because you deserve to honor your authenticity and nurture your well-being. 🌟

Establishing boundaries is essential for psychological well-being and healthy relationships✨

From physical boundaries that protect our personal space to emotional boundaries that guard our feelings, each type plays a crucial role. Mental boundaries help us maintain clarity, while spiritual boundaries respect our beliefs. Sexual boundaries ensure comfort and consent, financial boundaries protect our resources, digital boundaries manage our online interactions, and material boundaries safeguard our possessions. By defining what we find acceptable and what we don’t in these areas, we cultivate self-respect and empower ourselves to live authentically and healthily 💖

Words impact us so profoundly. Often, we tend to overuse the word “Sorry”. While we all make mistakes, genuine connective relationships don’t demand perfection but repair! Here are crucial points to remember when apologizing to loved ones to ensure they feel validated and respected

Self-care is often simplified down to ‘do what feels good’ or ‘treat yourself,’ but those ideas aren’t always in line with self-care. That’s because people often confuse self-care and self-soothing.

While both self-care and self-soothing have their purpose in your wellness toolbox, it’s crucial to be able to balance both the short-term benefits of self-soothing and the long-term benefits of self-care. As long as one isn’t taking over the other, we’re all on the right track!

Let us know in the comment section below what your self care and self soothing strategies are!

In honoring Sue Johnson, whose legacy and attachment research has touched and healed many, we at Juniper hold her words close to our hearts. Her words are a constant reminder that healing occurs in connection; safety happens in connection.

We hope all those reading this take a moment to gently nudge themselves to get in touch with their community, friends, family, and therapists. We all thrive in connection! We're always here for you! You're not alone!

This is not a comprehensive list of feelings and needs but gives you an idea how your needs and feelings are connected and what happens when they are or are not met.

A simple way to be compassionate and curious toward oneself and others is asking – “When …… happened (and … need was/ wasn’t met), I/ they felt….”

Let us know in the comments if you learnt about a new need that you didn’t know existed!

Share it with your friends if you think this would be helpful for them. Follow for more!

It's that time again! We are looking for exceptional, experienced therapists to join our team. RCC's or RSW's who have 5+ years experience in mental health & front-line experience in crisis intervention. I know we ask a LOT from our team members, but our clients are simply the BEST, so nothing less will do!

Dr. Anna’s book “Dopamine Nation” is awe-inspiring and lets us in on significant insights about our pursuit of pleasure, avoidance of pain and consequently our addictive tendencies.

Addiction lies on a spectrum. From being addicted to substances to being addicted to social media and phones – the world has become overstimulating and encourages compulsive consumption. Having gone through the pandemic, which forced folks to slow down, we found a way to indulge even more. Engineering devices such as smartphones which are meant to be addictive, the question is – How do human beings find balance in a world which can be potentially so enticing and triggering?
Our hope is that this post helps you slow down and reflect on your daily life.

Addictive behaviors don’t always involve substances. We’re living in the age of easy access to high dopamine stimuli: food, smartphones, shopping, gaming, texting, sexting, gambling……Most are ways of self-soothing that are no longer adaptive.

Let us know in the comments if this post resonated with you! Know that you’re not alone, and that there’s always scope for growth. Share with your loved ones if you think this would be helpful for them. Follow for more content on self-work.

We learn to self-soothe as infants. Self-soothing patterns can be both adaptive (such as noticing what’s going on, checking in, breathing, taking a walk) and maladaptive (such as scrolling, engaging in stress- eating, nail-biting, binge-watching Netflix) even though the intention of soothing oneself is always focused toward bringing our bodies to equilibrium and finding a balance.

Therefore, learning how to adaptively soothe your nervous system (in other words, finding a balance) can be an invaluable step toward your journey of healing. Even though there’s no “quick fix” to how you’re feeling, these are some quick ways to check in with yourself in times of overwhelm.

Let us know in the comments how you regulate yourself and we might all be able to learn intentional practicing of taking care of our nervous systems!
Share if you found this to be helpful and follow for more content on self-work.

In a dopamine-driven society, butterflies are often considered to be the gold standard in a relationship. But as we learn more about our nervous systems and what makes us feel safe, it seems like “butterflies” or “fireworks” in the long-term can be indicators of inconsistency and unpredictability. Unfortunately, in chasing these butterflies, we often let go of people that make us feel safe.

Let us know what you think love is and what you’d like to choose for your nervous system… Butterflies or safety?

Using the terms “love” and “attachment” interchangeably can be confusing for folks and potentially lead to challenges in identifying where interpersonal difficulties lie. While you might love an individual deeply, it is very plausible that you don’t feel safe with them.

Attachments, which are often imprints of our parental relationships get wired into our systems as how “safe” or “secure” we feel as grown ups and how we experience the world. Therefore, attachment trauma or disruptive relationships as a child can alter an individual’s capacity to experience fulfilling relationships even as an adult. Having lived in dysregulated homes, it becomes increasingly difficult to experience safety cognitively, neurologically, and even in our bodies (it is a gut-wrenching feeling that most of us might be aware of as opposed to a sense of peace or calmness).

Even though you can’t control the experiences you’ve had as a child, we believe that you hold the power to stay true to yourself as an adult. You don’t have to live on autopilot and be directed by your past experiences. You can be the adult you needed as a child and teach yourself what you were never taught. Living in the present as opposed to the past leads to a fuller, happier life.

And we’re right here if you need us!

YMHC is starting a Heart-to-Heart Campaign in January 2024. This is something you all can get involved in.

We are looking for community members to knit or crochet hearts and send them to us at 51 Stuart Street in Hamilton, Ontario, L8L 1B5.

We will attach messages of support to the hearts.
These messages will help bring hope to someone in need in communities across Canada.

https://youtu.be/yb6LAprFlUk?si=JENBqBXB7j9AJTxR

Breanne Grainger's Story with an Inclusive Employer (ASL/CC) We are delighted to work with Gabi & Jules, a Presidents Group Member, to share Breanne Grainger's story about working with an inclusive employer. Described ...

https://www.psypost.org/2023/10/study-finds-depression-treatment-may-reduce-dementia-risk-214120?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Study finds depression treatment may reduce dementia risk A recent study published in the Biological Psychiatry journal suggests that treating depression, especially in individuals showing increasing depressive symptoms, can significantly reduce their risk of developing dementia. As such, there are potential benefits of timely depression treatment. ...

Embracing that cozy Fall feeling 🍂 What's on your list of things to look forward to this season?