If your child was recently diagnosed with ADHD/ADD or you suspect that a diagnosis is on the horizon, let's begin with information from Statistics Canada : Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, and is one of the most common mental health conditions in children. Boys are three times more likely to develop ADHD than girls. Symptoms of ADHD usually arise between the ages of three and five but are typically

Daniel Goleman is a best selling author, well known for his books on Emotional Intelligence. He often writes about how having an EQ is just as important as your IQ; and how our emotional abilities are an important part of growth and strength in relationships. He writes: "In a very real sense, we have two minds; one that thinks and one that feels." "If your emotional abilities aren't in hand, if you don't have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing em

There is a belief that a small change can produce a ripple effect; leading to bigger changes in the universe that we may not be aware of. I am certainly a firm believer in the energy we put out into the world; that by focusing on appreciation, kindness and thoughtful intentions, we send out a ripple effect. That when we focus on feeling settled within, we give others around us permission to do the same. I came across a saying by Nikki Banas which speaks to just that: "You nev

Here are some amazing brain facts from The Nature of Things with David Suzuki : Your brain contains 100 billion neurons: about 16 times the number of people on earth. 95% of your decisions take part in the subconscious mind. The language and consciousness part of the brain (neocortex) accounts for 76% of the brain's mass. Your gut, or "second brain," contains 100,000 neurons. Your brain keeps developing until your late 40's. Our IQ's have dropped over 13 points since the Vict

I like to say that there are three categories of relationships in our lives. There are the healthy ones; those we feed, are invested in, and consciously continue to build. There are the toxic ones; those to which we eventually learn how to strip them of power and in some cases, end the relationship altogether. And then there are those that we manage; relationships that aren't quite in the healthy category, but we are not ready, or in a position, to remove them entirely from

We all have a window of tolerance. It is that place where we have full access to our Wise Mind , where both our emotions and our logic inform us to make decisions. This is the state in which we are mentally engaged and in a growth mindset. It is here that we function optimally. When we move out of our window of tolerance, we move into either a hyperarousal state where we can overreact emotionally, or into a hypoarousal state of shutting down. In either case, our emotions are

This is the time of year that I am most reminded of my childhood. My sister and I spent a lot of time playing outside; the winters hold memories of making snowforts, the summers found us in the shade of the big rock. But it is spring that has always held a certain magic; a promise of renewal. With swollen ditches and the smell of mud, the big pond at the back of the field, the scent of green, the freshness of the air. The times we came home with soaking wet feet far outnumber

Are you or someone you know avoiding social situations more lately? Has the pandemic set a new pattern of isolation or anxiety? Do the...

Yesterday's post reminds us of the importance of walking - and how even 15 minutes can create an impact on your physical and emotional well being. Although my daily walk has become a well engrained habit, it isn't willpower that keeps me faithful to it. After all, it is often easier to convince yourself no to go. "It is too hot." "I could be doing something else." "I need to use my lunch hour to catch up on work." "I'm tired. Or hungry. Or cranky. Not feeling up to it."

I have written similar posts to this one about the benefits of walking - but it bears repeating. In an article entitled "15 Minutes of Walking on a Daily Basis Can Change Your Body Drastically" by Sue Peckham and featured on "12 Weeks to Wow," we read: "Exercise buys you three to seven additional years of life. It is an antidepressant, it improves cognitive function, and there is now evidence that it may retard the onset of dementia." - Sanjay Sharma, professor of inherited

I have just come back from a lovely weekend away with three friends. There were many contributions to what made this weekend a wonderful example of self-care: a beautiful setting. The cabin was rustic; the view was fabulous. Sitting on the front porch to see the pristine lake, a resident friendly duck and a painted turtle that liked to keep popping his head out of the water. Nature at its best will always provide the perfect setting for peace and healing. wonderful food. Rich

In an article entitled “Kids surrounded by greenery may grow up to be happier adults” by Katherine Schwab and featured on Fast Company , Schwab writes about a new study coming out of Denmark that shows that “children under 10 who had greater access to green space had 55% less risk of mental health disorders in adulthood.” 55%. That is quite a high number considering they came to that conclusion after having controlled for such factors such as urbanization, family history, s

In an article entitled "10 Ways to Boost Dopamine and Serotonin Naturally" and featured on GoodTherapy, we read about different ways to increase the amount of our 'feel good' chemicals in our brain. Some of what they recommend brings us back to the basics of proper nutrition and exercise, but a few that they featured, gave me pause for thought: Gratitude : "Scientific research has shown gratitude affects the brain’s reward system. It correlates with the release of dopamine an

Forgiveness is one of the more challenging of virtues. We hear that we are better for it; that when we forgive ourselves or others who have hurt us, we find peace. Very often, we have to push against the feeling that by forgiving we excuse the hurt. Forgiving is not about accepting the transgression but rather that it happened. We must also reconcile with the myth that through the act of forgiveness, we invite the person who hurt us back in our lives. There are times when th

In an article entitled "Mindful Grief: 3 Ways to Manage Your Sorrow" by Ashley Davis Bush and featured on GoodTherapy , we read about how to be more mindful about the grief process. Bush notes that we tend to have a tendency towards avoiding painful feelings which can lead to complications when we are actively grieving. I especially enjoyed reading the three thoughts she had in trying to give grief its due course: Intention: Set your intention to welcome the feelings, to le

In an article entitled "Perfectionism" featured on GoodTherapy , we read about perfectionism, defined as "a need to be, or appear to be perfect." Although this article is chock full of information, I especially appreciated what they listed as some characteristics of what a focus on over-achievement to the point of perfectionism looks like: Not be able to perform a task unless you know you can do it perfectly. View the end product as the most important part of any undertakin

Although New Year’s resolutions are a very individual choice, perhaps one way to welcome in the new year is to consider adopting some...

As we get older, which happens to everyone, our risk of falls increases. Mobility related issues such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis,...

It's that time of year again - but this year we've been seeing unprecedented volumes of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTIs),...

In an article entitled "3 Mindsets that make it impossible to happy - and how to turn it around" by Matt Valentine and featured on Goalcast, he writes about how our experiences and challenges growing up can lead to 3 mindsets that will hinder our ability to truly be happy. I especially resonated with something he said at the end of the article that caught my attention: "It’s not what happens to you, it’s the meaning you place on those experiences." Our mindsets grow from ou