Autistic Living: A Gentle Way Back to Your Needs
By Kelsey Ashe, RCC-ACS, Senior Clinical Counsellor, Clinical Director, Healing Spaces If you’ve ever felt like your nervous system is “too much,” or that your reactions are being misunderstood, you’re not alone. To navigate a sensory-heavy world, many Autistic and neurodivergent people are taught to override their needs, especially when the world feels bright, fast, […]
Feeling Stuck in the Past? How EMDR Therapy Can Help Process Trauma
Have you ever noticed how a past event, old hurt, or overwhelming experience can still feel surprisingly present? Maybe your heart races during a difficult conversation. Perhaps a certain situation brings on a sudden wave of anxiety, or you find yourself constantly on guard without fully understanding why. You’re not alone. Difficult experiences can […]
Summer Can Be Hard Too : Mental Health When Everyone Expects You to Be Happy
The days are long. The sun is out. Everyone around you seems to be thriving — barbecues, camping trips, vacation photos, the general performance of summertime joy. And you’re just… not feeling it. Maybe you’re relieved when the weekend ends. Maybe the lack of structure is making everything harder. Maybe you can’t explain why, but […]
Why “Just Calm Down” Doesn’t Work — Understanding Your Nervous System
You’re overwhelmed. Your heart is racing, your thoughts won’t slow down, or you’ve gone completely flat and can’t feel much of anything. And someone — maybe someone who loves you — says: just calm down. Just breathe. You’re fine. You know you’re not fine. And no matter how hard you try to talk yourself out […]
Mental Health Awareness Month and the Healing Power of Counselling
Personally and professionally, I believe deeply in the power of counselling. You may think I’m being playful when I say that, but I’m actually being very literal. I have sat on both sides of the sofa many, many times. I believe in counselling because it changed my life. It supported me through incredibly difficult moments. […]
Autistic Burnout: What It Is, How to Recover, and How to Honour Your Nervous System
Autistic burnout is the point where the cost of masking, accommodating, and surviving in a neurotypical world finally exceeds your capacity—and your nervous system says ‘no more.’ For most of us, we haven’t been given the permission or the space to live in alignment with our own needs. When we over-extend for too long, the […]
The Bullying That Doesn’t End When School Does: Why Mental Health IS Social Justice
February 25th is an important day in Canada. It’s Pink Shirt Day—a time dedicated to bullying awareness—and yet, the day feels both significant and incomplete. The message of Pink Shirt Day is vital: be kind, stand up for others. But for those of us who were bullied for who we are rather than anything we […]
Why January Feels Heavy (Even When Nothing Is “Wrong”)
January is supposed to feel like a reset- what happened!? Instead of a reset and boost of energy, many people feel tired in a way that sleep doesn’t touch. Deep fatigue in your bones and emotions that feel close to the surface. Motivation disappears, New Years Resolutions quickly slip into the “archived” folder in our […]
Winter as Teacher: What Slowing Down Can Teach Us About Healing
The Invitation of Winter Winter and mental health are deeply connected. Shorter days, longer nights, and the natural slowing of the season can impact our mood, energy, and sense of wellbeing. Many people experience winter fatigue or even seasonal affective disorder (SAD), while others notice the weight of burnout catching up. In a world that […]
Managing ADHD, Anxiety, and Stress in October
Last week, I stood in the kitchen staring at three half-finished cups of tea. One was cold, one was lukewarm, and one had disappeared entirely (because I’d put it “somewhere safe”). That, in a nutshell, is my October ADHD brain. And here’s why I’m sharing this with you: October is ADHD Awareness Month in Canada, […]