Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get talked about enough: What it’s actually like to navigate sex after sexual trauma. For many survivors, sex can feel confusing — even years after the trauma. For some, the confusion doesn’t start until many years later, making it…
As a South Asian psychotherapist, I often work with people who share similar cultural backgrounds and experiences. One of the most significant yet unspoken challenges I’ve encountered – both personally and in my work – is intergenerational trauma. Intergenerational trauma silently shapes the lives of…
Shame is a powerful emotion, one that can leave us feeling small, unworthy, and stuck. It creeps into our thoughts, influencing our self-talk and shaping the way we see ourselves. It whispers, “There’s something wrong with you,” “You should be over this,” or, “You shouldn’t…
Holidays are steeped in traditions, memories, and connections, which link us deeply to our loved ones. When someone we care about is no longer present, the void becomes ever so apparent. The empty chair at the dinner table, the absence of a familiar laugh, or…
Movember is more than just a month—it’s a movement. It’s a reminder to check in with yourself, your loved ones, and the mental and physical challenges that guys face every single day. Yet amidst growing awareness of men’s health, there’s one area often left out…
Complex trauma often lurks in the shadows of the hustle and bustle of everyday life, subtly influencing our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Often, without us even realizing it. In this blog, we will shed light on four ways that complex trauma might be seeping into…
Gender and sexuality are often significant pillars of our identities. These identities can also change and develop through our lives. Whether you’re a teenager grappling with your emerging identity, a young adult navigating relationships, or someone later in life seeking to understand your experiences more…
The recent revelations surrounding the case against sexual offender, Jeffery Epstein, have undoubtedly sparked distress. This is especially true for individuals who endured sexual abuse – whether in the form of childhood sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, sexual assault, rape, human trafficking, and/or sexual harassment. As…
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or the holiday season, the upcoming weeks are likely filled with various events and family gatherings. Some may bring joy, while others can be stressful and triggering. It’s crucial to remember that you can’t change how other people act but…
Managing our mental health can sometimes feel like trying to navigate an impossible maze. This is even more complex for men who have the added pressures of navigating societal expectations and outdated stereotypes, which prevent them from reaching out for the support they need and…
As the seasons change and we embrace the beauty of autumn’s colorful foliage and cozy days wrapped in a warm blanket, many of us experience shifts in our mood, signaling the dreaded summer withdrawals have begun. For some, these mood changes are more than just…
The Dual Arousal Model, as described by Emily Nagoski in her book “Come as You Are,” is a framework used to understand and explain sexual response, desire, and arousal in a comprehensive and holistic manner. It offers valuable insights into the complex interplay of sexual…
May marks Mental Health Awareness Month. While mental health is important every month, we would like to honour this month by sharing some common misconceptions around mental illness. Depression in particular is experienced by many individuals – according to Statistics Canada, nearly one in eight…
Everyone from your doctor to retail marketing departments are telling you to practice mindfulness. By now you likely are familiar with the endless list of benefits to a mindful life, but you’re feeling stuck because you tried it and hate it. You’re not alone. This…
February marks the date for many holidays and occasions. Some of these could be Groundhog Day, Valentines Day, Family Day, and other celebrations as well. Alongside those February also marks Black History Month, which is a very important time in the Black and African American/Canadian…
The third Monday in January has been dubbed Blue Monday and is considered one of the most depressing days of the year. If you’re feeling particularly low, you might be feeling the Blue Monday Blues and here’s why: The glitz and glamour of the holidays…
If you’re working on your sobriety, the holidays bring a whole new set of challenges. If this is your first sober holiday, you may be increasingly aware of just how much alcohol is emphasized during this time and just how many triggers there are to…
If your holidays don’t look like a perfectly wrapped Hallmark movie, you’re not alone! The holiday season brings many stressors and pressures, expectations, and difficult reminders. Here’s why the holidays are hard If you find yourself struggling with unwelcome guests, like stress, anxiety or depression…
Ontario-wide child exploitation investigation has led to more than 100 people being charged. It’s likely that you have heard of the recent news that an Ontario-wise child exploitation investigation has led to more than 100 people being charged. If you haven’t, here’s a recap: The…
Everyone has a role in suicide prevention. Outlined in this blog are ways that you can support suicide prevention through: Knowing the warning signs; Risk factors; and How to support someone in a mental health crisis What are the warning sings? Warning signs are things…
There are two broad umbrellas that cover the different techniques and modalities used by therapists: top-down approaches and bottom-up approaches. Generally, more traditional talk therapies fall under the top-down umbrella while more body-based therapies fall under the bottom-up umbrella. This post is going to focus…
Is your mood being affected as we head into the cooler months? As summer comes to an end, it’s important to know that seasonal changes can often affect our mood. Here’s what our therapists recommend to manage low mood during changing seasons: 1. Create a…
In our last blog we discussed the trauma response – fight, flight, freeze, fawn. The trauma response is a survival instinct that dictates how we will act when we are faced with a highly distressing and life-threatening situation (eg. physical/emotional/sexual abuse, accident, natural disaster, etc.).…
Our bodies are fascinating. They have a built-in survival mechanism that is automatically set off when we are faced with danger. This is an incredibly intelligent system that in a matter of seconds assesses the situation and selects the most adaptive of four options –…
This week we focus on the Myth that couples therapy is for “failed” relationships. The ones with serious problems that couples on the brink of divorce find themselves in. Before we go any further, I’d like to point out that those who are separating or…
Couples therapy, also referred to as couples counselling, marriage therapy, marriage counselling, relationship therapy, or relationship counselling is therapy that happens between a couple and a therapist. In couples therapy, the client is the relationship, and the purpose is to unite both partners into solving…
There are few people out there who would say that joining a group is an easy, stress free, and soothing event. If you’re one of them, kudos to you! For the rest of us, joining a group can be a stressful experience requiring an uncomfortable…
Emilia Pacholec Trauma Therapy for Sexual Assault Finding the right therapist can be difficult. Finding the right therapist who offers the right type of therapy for you can be even more difficult. When looking for therapy, nothing is more important than finding a therapist who…
Siding with the Enemy & Other Relationship Faux Pas Have you ever approached your partner with a problem — let’s say you got a reprimand at work for being late — and they swoop in and try to fix the problem for you — “how about next time you turn your…
Emilia Pacholec The First Therapy Appointment — What to Expect Pictured: A young woman engages in a virtual/online therapy appointment. Photo sturti by from Getty Images Signature on Canva So you found a therapist, you mustered up the courage to get in touch, and you scheduled your first therapy…