Reflection Counselling Services

[ID: the top of the image says Trans Day of Visibility. The following quote is superimposed over a shooting star with the trans colours as its tail: “Gender is a galaxy! You’re a miraculous embodiment of belonging, possibility and wonder! There’s nobody like you in the universe—that’s exactly why you belong.” — samantha rise (they/them/elle). There is a brown person in the bottom right corner with purple hair wearing a pink dress and holding the trans flag.]

“The performance of face masks and bubble baths won’t heal our deeper heartaches. We need real self-care.”

99 Inexpensive Self-Care Ideas For Your New Year These 99 free and affordable self-care ideas will inspire you to schedule time for yourself, especially on days that feel the most challenging.

Local small business shout out. ❤️ co is a hair and skincare company located right here in KW (but ships internationally!) that honours its Palestinian culture through its handmade products, as well as honours the owner’s mother who was forced to flee her home in Palestine in 1967. Each purchase contributes to a monthly donation, with the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) as this month’s chosen organization.



[ID: a beautifully curated box filled with handmade soaps, and glass containers of body scrub, body butter, and a candle].

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“Embrace your grief, for there your soul will grow." - Carl Jung

What Are The 5 Gates Of Grief? My experience of loss led me to discover the 5 Gates of Grief, and now I'm sharing what I've learned.

Were Ross and Rachel on a Break? — Reflection Counselling Services It would have been less entertaining to watch, but truly this whole dilemma could have been solved by the following adjustment.

**SPECIAL Meeting Time: 5pm-7:30pm
**SPECIAL Meeting Place: 25 Caroline St N, Waterloo, ON N2L 2Y5

This week we’re meeting at the Clay and Glass Museum for a freestyle clay workshop! We’ll start with a demonstration from the amazing instructors, learning basic hand-building techniques, and then you’ll have a chance to create a small project of your own!

SPACE IS LIMITED, available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Sign-up via the link on our event listing https://ok2bme.ca/event/in-person-youth-group-pottery-at-the-clay-and-glass-museum/

Ever wondered what’s on your therapist’s bookshelf? (If not, that makes sense. Carry on). While courses and trainings are an important part of our ongoing education, books are an accessible way to learn new things and to hear from the voices of the communities we support. This can include books on different therapeutic modalities, issues that our clients are struggling with that we want to learn more about, and systems of oppression that affect our clients, communities, and world at large. Which book do you hope your therapist has read?



[Image description: a pile of books stacked in front of some flowers. The book titles are “The Highly Sensitive Person,” “We Have Always Been Here,” “The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine,” “The Come As You Are Workbook,” “Bleed: Destroying Myths and Misogyny in Endometriosis Care,” “The Art of Happiness,” “No Bad Parts,” “He/She/They,” “Racial Trauma,” and “The LGBTQ+ History Book.”]

"Constant stress incites further emotional and physical changes in the body.”

How To Identify Stress Cycles And Mindfully Complete Them Chronic stress can put a damper on everyday life, causing unwanted complications. We've compiled expert tips on how to notice and end your stress cycle.

Link below:
https://www.reflectioncounselling.ca/store/winter-first-aid-kit-tips-to-get-through-the-winter-months
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Winter First Aid Kit: Tips to get through the winter months.
The winter months are hard for many reasons (shorter days, less sunshine, and that darn cold), but not everyone has the means or feels the need to meet with a therapist. This e-book is meant to be an affordable option for some basic information on how to take care of yourself and get through these winter months.
Whether you are new to exploring strategies or need reminders of what’s worked for you before, this e-book hopes to provide some direction and resources so you have some support over the next few months.
Topics include: dealing with low motivation, identifying what is helpful to add to your day (and what to avoid), preparing for your specific needs and communicating them to others, managing the holiday stress, and practicing self-compassion.
Cost is $25 with 20% of proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders

Since winter is hard on our mental health and butter costs $7, I made an affordable resource that offers tips on how to get through the upcoming months and support your mental health. The e-book is $25 with 20% of the proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders in order to offer humanitarian aid to the many places that need it right now. Click below for more information and/or to purchase.

Winter First Aid Kit — Reflection Counselling Services A resource to help you get through those tough winter months. Topics include: Dealing with low motivation Identifying what is helpful to add to your day (and what to avoid) Preparing for your specific needs and communicating them to others Managing the holiday season Practicing se

Alright, so you’ve seen and heard this word a lot, and maybe you’re even using it. But are you curious if you’re using the term correctly and why the proper terminology matters? Click the link in my bio to read an article on what gaslighting is and isn’t.
[ID: a blurred image of a person holding their head with the caption What Exactly is Gaslighting]

What Exactly is Gaslighting? — Reflection Counselling Services While I’m so happy that mental health conversations are becoming more mainstream and many people are finding information and validation through social media, there are some terms that are getting misused. Gaslighting is one that I keep seeing online that is not always being used correctly.

I just started this book yesterday! This excerpt is a good snapshot into the misogyny that exists within our medical system and that the book seeks to highlight.

In this excerpt from her new book ‘Bleed’ Tracey Lindeman takes on medical misogyny, myths in endometriosis care ‘Sometimes it feels like medical professionals lose sight of the fact that health is wrapped up in our life experiences.’

"...taking care of ourselves is difficult. Especially if we have other obligations: family, work, pets, bills, homes—the bare minimum can feel excruciatingly out of reach sometimes, and self-care just adds another thing to the list. But we can re-frame our perspective around taking good, true care of ourselves by remembering that self-care is as simple as self-respect."

99 Inexpensive Self-Care Ideas For Your New Year - The Good Trade These 99 free and affordable self-care ideas will inspire you to schedule time for yourself, especially on days that feel the most challenging.

"Language shapes our lives before we even know how to speak it. Verbs such as “to begin,” “to grow,” and “to be” describe our entry into this world. Verbs such as “to grab,” “to smile,” and “to resist” aren’t far behind. Ideally, “to learn” and “to love” and “to be loved” fill our days from that point forward but we know these are the ones that carry the most complexity. "

From Esther Perel's Blog - Our Comfort with Intimacy Has A Lot to do with These 7 Verbs Love is an active verb. It’s imbued with intention and meaning and contains an implicit call to action. In the language of intimacy, basic fluency comes down to just seven verbs. The experiences that revolve around these shape our beliefs about ourselves and our expectations of others. Read more o...

Some very important information to consider as you vote this upcoming Monday - it affects the rights and safety of our transgender children and youth.

Scores of anti-trans candidates running in Ontario school board elections | CBC News The normally sleepy contests for trustee positions have been highly charged this year with faith-based groups, political parties and self-styled "anti-woke" organizations involved to an unprecedented degree, including providing endorsements, mobilizing volunteers and providing candidates training fr...

Check out this free workshop led by Selam Debs!

Free Antiracism Workshop — SELAMDEBS.COM Learn How To Move Beyond Allyship at Work, At Home & in the Community.

New mental health resource coming in Canada!

Canada to launch 988 mental health crisis hotline in fall 2023. Here’s how it will work - National | Globalnews.ca The CRTC said that calls and texts to 988 will help Canadians in need obtain counselling. It will be available from coast to coast, 24/7, and free of charge.

"Here are some incredible Indigenous changemakers you should be following right now."

Today ends the celebration of Asian Heritage Month, but the learning needs to continue beyond May. While not an exhaustive list, here are some resources that I have been learning from this past month. Feel free to let me know if I missed one of your favourites!
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Websites:
(their resource page covers SO much helpful information, including podcasts, self-care, training, books, organizations, etc.)
has an anti-asian racism resource page on their website with places to donate, mental health resources, legal aid, and petitions
has a resource page with cross-racial solidarity information, settler responsibilities, and education on anti-asian racism
has a list of AAPI organizations to support in Canada

"The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia was created in 2004 to draw the attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by le***an, gay, bis*xual, transgender, inters*x people and all other people with diverse s*xual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and s*x characteristics.

The date of May 17th was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homos*xuality as a mental disorder.

May 17 is now celebrated in more than 130 countries, including 37 where same-s*x acts are illegal. Thousands of initiatives, big and small, are reported throughout the planet." - May17.org 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

The 2022 theme is “Our Bodies, Our Lives, Our Rights.”

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Posted • Kicking off with an
🎤 INSTAGRAM LIVE TONIGHT at 7:30pm!!!

With special guest:
Stephanie Huls, MSW, RSW

Swipe to learn more about what our guest will be unpacking for y’all!

BIO:
Stephanie Huls has 16 years of experience, 10 years of which were in the non-profit field, working at agencies that supported clients facing addictions, s*xual violence, and intimate partner violence. She went into private practice six years ago and now provides individual counselling services and EMDR therapy to those in the Waterloo Region. She is passionate about helping people find their path to the lives they want to lead

What are some of your most pressing questions about therapy and mental health in general friends?

Comment below and join in tonight 🙏🏾

“therapy is life changing, therapy has saved my life literally during my darkest times” 🙏🏾💗

Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart: Defensiveness and Flooding From her latest book, Brené Brown discusses one of the Four Horsemen from the Gottman Method and how it affects conflict.

Reposted work of : Today is International Transgender Day of Visibility, a day to celebrate and empower our beautiful transgender and non-binary selves! It is also a day to remind our allies to take action in our fight for our rights, especially given the unprecedented legislative and societal discrimination we are experiencing. Swipe for a few things to do today, especially if you’re not transgender and would like to learn more about allyship.

Join this campaign by hitting the link in bio!

A wonderful FREE opportunity with Selam Debs!

Free Antiracism Workshop — SELAMDEBS.COM Learn How To Move Beyond Allyship at Work, At Home & in the Community.

I know there's a freezing rain warning, but I'm going to get excited about spring anyway. 😊

Get Outside: Your Guide to Soaking up Spring | Nature Canada Your voice for nature!

Can Self-Care Be a Form of Protest? For strategies on helping clients of color heal from the wounds of racial stress and trauma, check out The Trauma of Racism: Expert Strategies to Help Client...