Eterna Counselling & Wellness Inc

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Abbotsford, BC
Eterna Counselling & Wellness Inc

We commit to making mental health wellness easy and accessible to everyone Regain your confidence. Discover your potential. Change your life

12/23/2025

Christmas is in two days.

Whatever you're feeling right now—excitement, anxiety, grief, peace, dread, joy, or all of these at once—it's valid.

There's no "right way" to feel about Christmas. The pressure to perform specific emotions often makes this season harder than it needs to be.

This week's journal prompt:

"As Christmas approaches, I'm honestly feeling ___________. What I need most right now is ___________. I will take care of myself during this time by ___________."

No performance required. No forced gratitude. Just honest acknowledgment of where you are.

If Christmas is hard for you this year, you're not alone. If it's joyful, that's beautiful too. All of it is allowed.

How are you really doing as we approach Christmas? 💚

12/19/2025

We're in the final stretch before the holidays, and if you're already exhausted just reading that, you're not alone.

This season brings a unique paradox: we're told it's the "most wonderful time of the year" while experiencing increased stress, family tension, financial pressure, and the weight of meeting impossible expectations.

We've written a comprehensive guide about protecting your mental health during the holidays—not by withdrawing completely, but by approaching this season with intention and self-compassion.

This post covers everything from recognizing burnout signs to managing family dynamics to addressing grief to practical coping strategies that actually work.

Swipe through for a preview, then read the full article through the link in our bio.

If you're holding more than you can carry right now, this is for you.

Save this. Share it with someone who needs it.

12/18/2025

One week until Christmas.

For some, this brings excitement and anticipation. For others, anxiety and dread. Many of us feel both simultaneously.

How are you actually preparing—not the version you post about, but the real one?

Are you:

+ Setting boundaries around time and energy?
+ Managing expectations (yours and others')?
+ Planning recovery time after gatherings?
+ Identifying what you actually need vs. what's expected?
+ Giving yourself permission to celebrate differently?

This isn't about creating the perfect holiday. It's about surviving it with your wellbeing intact.

So we're asking genuinely: how are you preparing? What strategies are you using? What support do you need?

Share below. Your honest answer might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.

12/16/2025

The pressure to give the "perfect gift" often has less to do with the actual gift and more to do with what we're trying to prove or repair.

During the holidays, gift-giving can become loaded with unspoken messages: I love you. I understand you. I'm sorry. I'm worthy. See me.

But what if we separated the gift from the message we're trying to send?

This week's journal prompt:

"When I feel pressure about gift-giving, what I'm really worried about is ___________. The message I most want to communicate to my loved ones is ___________. A way I could express this that isn't tied to money or perfect gifts is ___________."

Take your time with this one. There's usually something deeper underneath the holiday stress.

What's coming up for you around gift-giving this year?

12/13/2025

It's the most wonderful time of the year... right?

For many of us here in the Fraser Valley, the holidays bring mixed feelings at best—and total dread at worst. Between packed family gatherings, conflicting expectations, and opinionated relatives, it's no wonder the season feels more stressful than joyful.

But here's the thing: you don't just have to "get through it." Setting healthy boundaries can transform your holiday experience.

In this carousel, I break down:

✓ What boundaries actually are (hint: they're limits—that's it)

✓ Why they protect AND promote connection

✓ Practical tips you can use THIS holiday season

One last thought: It is WORTH IT. When you prioritize your wellbeing, you're better positioned for genuine, meaningful relationships.

Which tip resonates most with you?
Drop a comment below 👇
Link in Bio to the full blog!

12/11/2025

Family gatherings can surface old wounds we thought we'd moved past.

The criticism from your mother you've heard your whole life. The sibling rivalry that never quite resolved. The passive-aggressive comments wrapped in holiday cheer. The feeling of being misunderstood by the people who are supposed to know you best.

These dynamics don't magically improve because it's the holidays. Often, they intensify.

If you're walking into family gatherings with anxiety, you're not broken. You're realistic about challenging relational patterns.

Swipe through for 5 practical strategies to protect your peace while staying engaged.

You don't have to choose between family connection and your own wellbeing. With preparation and boundaries, you can navigate both.

Which of these strategies resonates most? Drop a number below.

12/09/2025

You can value both connection and solitude. Both family and independence. Both belonging and becoming.

The holidays often present this as an either/or: be with family or prioritize yourself. Be present for others or focus on your own growth. Show up for traditions or honour your evolving identity.

But what if it's not binary?
This week's journal prompt:

The balance I'm seeking between family time and individual growth looks like ___________.?
I know I'm honouring both when ___________.
One way I can communicate my needs to my family is ___________.

This is nuanced territory. There's no perfect answer—just your honest exploration of what feels right for you.

Where are you finding (or seeking) this balance?

12/06/2025

Understanding Your Capacity This Holiday Season 🎄✨

The holidays can be both joyful and draining. These two truths can exist at the same time.

December brings stories of warmth and excitement—but also overwhelm, exhaustion, and strained capacity.

Capacity = your emotional, cognitive, and relational bandwidth.
It's the internal space you have to feel, think, respond, connect, and cope.
And it shifts daily based on what's happening in your life.

In this carousel:

✓ What capacity means

✓ Why holidays often shrink it

✓ Signs you're approaching your edge

✓ Gentle ways to honour your limits

This season, allow yourself to feel the excitement and the exhaustion. Respect both. Listen inwardly. Let your capacity guide you toward a holiday that feels manageable, grounded, and real.

Which slide resonated most with you? Drop the number 👇
Read the full post on our blog (link in bio)

12/04/2025

As we move into December, a quick update about our hours and availability.

We know the holidays bring both joy and stress. Family dynamics surface, grief feels heavier, and the pressure to be "festive" can be overwhelming when you're struggling.

Our team remains available throughout December because mental health doesn't take a vacation. Whether you're navigating difficult family gatherings, managing seasonal depression, or simply feeling more anxious than usual—we're here.

December Availability: We'll maintain regular hours through December 20th, with modified availability December 22rd-27th. We'll return to full regular schedule January 2nd.

12/02/2025

December asks a different kind of reflection from us than other months.

There's the weight of the year ending, the pressure of the holidays, and often, the stirring of grief or loneliness that this season amplifies.

Instead of rushing past these feelings toward forced gratitude, what if we sat with what's actually present?

This month's journal prompt:

As I enter December, I'm carrying ___________.
What I need most this month is ___________.
I will know I've honoured myself this season if ___________.

No performance of holiday cheer required here. Just honest acknowledgment of where you are and what you need.

What's coming up for you as December begins? Share if you feel comfortable—sometimes naming it lessens its weight.

11/29/2025

Behind every therapy session, there's a team you never see.

Meet the Admin:

Cecilia Mannella - Founder & Clinical Director
The vision behind Eterna. The one supervising our intern therapists, ensuring quality care, and building a practice that prioritizes accessibility and genuine connection. She created this space because she believes therapy should be available to everyone who needs it—when they need it.

Jenna Pankratz - Office Manager & Intake Coordinator
The person who helps you find the right therapist match. The one managing a thousand moving pieces so our therapists can focus on what they do best. If you've ever felt welcomed here, that's Jenna.

Kurtis Stevenson - Marketing Manager & Graphic Designer
The one making sure people who need support actually know we exist. Creating content that breaks down barriers and makes mental health feel less intimidating. If something we've shared has ever resonated with you, that's Kurtis.

Therapy doesn't happen in a vacuum. It takes the therapists doing the deep work in session AND the team making sure everything else runs smoothly—scheduling, communications, operations, outreach, the systems that hold it all together.

Today we're grateful for the people who show up behind the scenes, day after day, making sure this practice can serve our community well.

11/27/2025

Relationships aren't supposed to be this hard—but sometimes they are.

Our team gets asked a lot: "When should we come to couples counselling?" The honest answer? Before you think you need to.

Most couples wait an average of six years after problems start before seeking help. Six years of the same arguments, growing distance, and resentment building. By then, repair feels almost impossible.

Here's what we want you to know about couples therapy at Eterna:

It's not about fixing what's broken. It's about learning skills you were never taught—how to repair after conflict, how to communicate needs clearly, how to stay connected when life gets overwhelming.

Our therapists work with couples navigating everything from communication breakdowns to life transitions to trust repair. You don't need to be in crisis to benefit from support. Sometimes the strongest relationships are the ones that ask for help early.

If you've been thinking about couples counselling, that thought itself is worth paying attention to.

DM us or book through the link in our bio. Your relationship deserves the investment.

Address

32450 Simon Avenue Suite 102A
Abbotsford, BC
V2T5E3

Telephone

+16047462025

Website

https://www.eternacounselling.ca/

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Our Story

Helping women change their lives has been our passion for the last decade. We are a team that empowers women to regain their confidence, discover their potential and change their lives!

Over the last decade, we have helped thousands of people radically change their lives by truly addressing problems such as anxiety, depression, self-doubt and negative self-beliefs. We don’t believe that we need to manage problems; the goal is to eradicate problems that stop you from living your best life.