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Most people don’t know this, but if you've been in a car accident in British Columbia, ICBC will cover the cost of counselling from a mental health professional. That's 12 sessions, fully paid for, with no doctor’s referral required. It doesn’t matter if it was a small tap or a major collision, if you were the driver, a passenger, or even at fault — you still qualify. Why do so many people hesitate to get help? Because we’re conditioned to minimize our pain. “It wasn’t that bad.” “I’ll get over it.” But here’s the truth: Your nervous system remembers the accident - even if you try to forget…

The Unique School Experience of Children and Youth with CHD As a child with congenital heart disease, I had big feelings about how different I was from others at school—not just because of my surgical scars and very tiny body, but something inside me. I remember so clearly an experience when I was 5 and back to school from open heart surgery, where all the other children in the classroom seemed to know what they were doing on a math sheet, except me. It didn’t make sense to me. The numbers wobbled all over the page and I could feel myself going into my imaginary world. In my imaginary world, I…

When we’re deep in pain, it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparison. We look around and imagine that others are living from a place of wholeness, regulation, or ease, while we alone are stuck in shame, chaos, or despair. The internal story becomes something like: “If I were truly healed, I wouldn’t feel this way.” Or “Other people don’t struggle like this.” But is that idea—of some untraumatized, fixed version of a “healthy person”—actually useful? More often, it separates us. It turns healing into a binary (healthy vs. broken), rather than a deeply human process. When we fixate on what…

You are not alone in your struggles. Whether you're caught in cycles of overthinking, feeling lost in anxiety or depression, or wrestling with big questions about your purpose, there are many psychological models that can help you make sense of what you're going through. Each model—whether it's Buddhist Psychology, Psychoanalysis, Psychodynamic Therapy, ACT, CBT, or Internal Family Systems—offers a unique lens. In this guide, you'll learn how each approach understands six common concerns and discover insights to support your healing journey. 1. RUMINATION : "Why can’t I stop thinking about…

What was meant to be a day of community, culture, and joy turned into a day of unimaginable heartbreak. The tragedy at the Lapu-Lapu Festival in Vancouver has left deep scars — not just for those directly affected, but for everyone who feels the weight of this loss. When something so devastating happens so close to home, it shakes us. It can shake our sense of safety, our trust in the world, and our hope for the future. It is completely normal to feel overwhelmed, heartbroken, anxious, or even numb right now. If you are feeling affected by this tragedy, please know that you are not alone…

A car accident can change your life in an instant. Beyond the physical injuries, many people experience emotional and psychological distress that can linger long after the crash. If you’ve been in an accident, it’s important to take care of your mental well-being as part of your recovery process. Fortunately, ICBC’s Enahnced Care Program provides pre-approved counselling sessions to help you cope with the emotional impact of a motor vehicle accident. Here’s what you need to know to access these benefits and start feeling like yourself again. ICBC’s Enhanced Care Program – How It Works ICBC’s…

Being open hearted means something very different to me after my last week's therapy session. I work with a somatic therapist and I had been working through early medical trauma coming up as fear and terror deep inside my chest. Being with this feeling without dissociating through coming back into my over chattering mind was a challenge. It is so much easier to just go into the stories I tell myself instead of being there with this cold discomfort. With the presence and witnessing of my therapist, I continued to stay with this feeling that felt older than my language. It came as an emptiness…

10 Cents to See My Chest: Building Pride and Confidence in Children with Surgical Scars As a parent, it can be a courageous challenge to be present for your child when they are born with medical challenges. I cannot imagine what this was like for my family when their first child was born with ten toes, a big smile and a blue skin tone. Right after I was born, I was whisked off and my family was broadsided with the news of my congenital heart deformities. I was blessed to have a strong family and a mother and grandmother that knew how much a child needed closeness and presence. They knew this…

This week, I had the most beautiful experience that resonated deep down to my toes. I was reminded that shared stories weave a tapestry of belonging, kinship, and the knowing feeling of being truly seen. As a counsellor who specializes in supporting children, youth, and families who have experienced medical trauma, I have walked alongside many who struggle with anxiety, dysregulation, disconnection, overwhelm and other mental health challenges. I know how important community and connection to others is, but this week it truly came home to my own heart. There is something uniquely powerful…