Childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are more common than many people realize. Research by Delphine Collin-Vézina, a professor at the School of Social Work, and data from Stats Canada reveal that nearly one in three children in Canada has experienced some form of ACE, such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction. These [...]
“It feels like a heavy weight pressing down on your chest, making each day a struggle to find light. Even the simplest tasks can become monumental challenges, and the relentless inner turmoil drains your energy and hope. It's a constant battle with a voice that seems to amplify every doubt and fear. ” [...]
A part of growing up is learning how to be your best self, and if there is a lack of that this can make you feel resentful and have a poor self image. Art therapy can be used to help improve self esteem and manage anger in children. There is not one way to [...]
Art helps people communicate ideas and creating art with people allows a glimpse of their inner world. Art therapy can be very beneficial for people with Autism for creating art helps them relate to objects and practice communicating in a way that challenges them but is not overwhelming. For individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder [...]
Art Therapy is a modality, where disciplines of art and psychology are combined to help individuals overcome emotional and psychological challenges to improve their well-being and daily functionality. Art Therapy uses the creative process, pieces of the created art, and exploring deeper thoughts and emotions to develop self-awareness, cope with difficult emotions, and address unresolved [...]
The negative impacts of childhood anxiety on adolescent and adult mental health have been studied by numerous researchers. Many child and adolescent therapists agree that childhood anxiety, if not treated, negatively impacts individuals later on in life. We have heard from many of our teenage clients that they used to feel this way [anxious, stressed, [...]
Problem-solving skills are one of the most important life skills that children need to develop. The use of these skills is evident in children’s play, math and science performance, social interactions, etc. Certain characteristics will interfere with the development of these necessary skill. Among them are lack of self-esteem, self-confidence, shyness and inhibition, anxiety, [...]
In 1952, the creation of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) revolutionized how we viewed and treated psychological issues. For the first time, we had a classification system that allowed us to better understand and diagnose mental disorders. DSM V is the most recent version of this diagnostic tool. As the [...]
As we all know, puberty is a very stressful time. It’s a time of change in multiple facets of adolescent lives: physiological, physical, psychological and social as well. It takes some time to get used to all the turmoil. Some of the most shocking physical changes are the growth spurts, new growth of [...]
In the past, marriage and starting a family were some goals that people strived towards because of societal expectations. Today, there has been a large shift away from marriage to common-law relationships and divorce rates have increased. With divorce, parents now need to learn a skill that they didn’t think they would have to: co-parenting. [...]
