Healing the Mother-Child Relationship
In May we honour and celebrate our mothers, the women who gave us life. To be a mother means to give unconditionally, and to do an infinite number of tasks that usually remain unacknowledged. So [...]
A Sense of Self
How do we develop a sense of self? There are three main ways that a child’s sense of self is “awakened” by the caregiver: through a loving eye gaze, a gentle voice, and a caring [...]
What is Transpersonal Psychology?
I think of transpersonal psychology as a response to what is missing in Western psychology: an acknowledgement of the sacred, the spiritual, the mystery, the unknown, and the unknowable. Transpersonal psychology does not limit itself [...]
Where’s my Tribe?
For the overwhelming majority of our evolutionary history, we have lived in semi-nomadic tribes. As the human nervous system evolved over tens of thousands of years, we lived in small, highly-bonded groups of approximately forty [...]
Mind-Body Relationship
One way to think about health and wellness is to consider the relationship between our minds and our bodies. Our bodies are constantly sensing our environment and sending messages to the brain in the form [...]
Loving Yourself
One of the most common themes I see in my practice is a lack of self-love. Over and over, I hear people judging themselves with harshness. They accuse themselves of being too much of something [...]
Regulate to Communicate!
Couples often seek counselling thinking their problem is a “communication issue.” However, I believe there is a deeper issue that creates communication difficulties: an inability to self-regulate and co-regulate. What does “regulation” mean? When you [...]
Triggers and Reactions
We are wired for connection. As babies, we are completely dependent on the care of others for our survival. Our relationship to our caregivers is our lifeline, and any perceived threat to that relationship triggers [...]
Knowing Your Feelings and Needs
Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. “Pooh! he whispered. “Yes, Piglet?” “Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you.” -A.A. Milne We all need reassurance now and [...]
Heart Times
What does it mean to be "heart-centered"? Two of my favorite spiritual teachers, Yogi Bhajan and Ram Dass, both talk a lot about the heart and the importance of being able to "come from the [...]