To My Brothers and Sisters on this Journey… On Addiction
If you’ve started reading this letter… there is likely a spark of hope still flickering within you. You might feel like there’s no way out, like you’re spiraling into an abyss with no idea how to climb back up. I’m writing this to you because I’ve been there. In fact, parts of me might still […]
Why Can’t We “Just Stop”? – Understanding Addiction
Many of us know this feeling all too well: we have a habit, or something we find ourselves doing repeatedly, even though it hasn’t made us feel good for a long time. At least, not in the amounts we are currently consuming. It could be smoking, endlessly scrolling through our phones, eating things that aren’t […]
Who Am I Really? Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Adolescence
Adolescence is a turbulent time. Bodies change, the brain develops, and emotions become incredibly intense. It is a period when we start asking the “big questions”: Who are we? What matters to us? What attracts us? How do we want to be seen by the world? In the midst of this journey, some of us […]
What If the People Around Us Don’t Accept Us for Who We Are?
There are moments when we begin to feel and truly know who we are. It may take time; it might be a long and confusing journey, but at some point something inside becomes clear. Our sexual orientation, our gender identity, and our place on the diverse spectrum of humanity finally come into focus. This is […]
Sexual Development in Adolescence
When the Body and Heart Awaken There is a moment when something begins to shift from within. The body starts to show signs of development, thoughts expand, and emotions take on a new depth. Things that once seemed simple suddenly become more complex. This is adolescence – a period of constant movement between childhood and […]
Suspected Sexual Abuse: How to Talk with Children and Adolescents?
Suspected Sexual Abuse: How to Talk with Children and Adolescents? As parents, it is crucial to find the right balance between the need to protect our children and warn them of dangers, and the need to raise them with basic trust and confidence in the world and in people. It is important to establish healthy […]
Eating Disorders in Adolescence
Adolescence is a time when many aspects of our lives change at once: our bodies, our emotions, and our relationships with ourselves, friends, and family. Amidst these transformations, our relationship with weight, appearance, and food can also begin to shift. These changes can trigger a range of intense emotions: confusion, stress, fear, and a constant […]
The Stigma Surrounding Mental Health
If you are dealing with a mental health challenge, you have likely heard comments like: “You’re just being lazy,” “You’re just doing it for attention,” “Why can’t you just get over it?”, “You’re overreacting,” “It’s all in your head,” or “Everyone has it hard sometimes, why make such a big deal out of it?” These […]
Anna’s Diary
I want to share a secret held deep within my body and my heart… I have an eating disorder. In truth, I hardly know anyone who doesn’t struggle with some kind of “disorder.” But this one is particularly cursed because even when it seems to be gone… it still lives and breathes inside of me. […]
Depression During Pregnancy and Postpartum Depression
Pregnancy and childbirth are periods filled with every imaginable sensation, emotion, and thought. The arrival of a new baby is a life-altering event, perhaps more so than almost any other. It is a change that encompasses every area of our lives, whether it is a first birth that brings the transition into parenthood, or subsequent […]