Wendy Digout Psychological Services

01/13/2026

If you are a parent of a child with complex medical needs, you are invited to join us on

Thursday January 22, 2026 7:00 -8:30 pm
Thursday March 5, 2026 7:00 -8:30 pm

Our Parent Group is an informal meeting where parents can share tips and tricks of caring for their child with complex special needs!

Interested in attending?
Please email Jackie Pidduck at jacklynn.pidduck@iwk.nshealth.ca

Please note to receive the Zoom link, we will ask you to review the virtual group guidelines that will be emailed to you, to provide the address of where you will be during the meeting and a contact number in case of emergency.

01/08/2026

Join our Virtual Autism Education Series this winter! These free online sessions share simple, helpful tips from health care professionals that you can use every day to support your child’s development.

Learn about PPAS, autism, behaviour, communication, toileting, sleep, mealtimes, community resources, and more.

Sessions run January–March 2026
Open to all parents and caregivers in Nova Scotia
Online through Zoom

Register by scanning the QR code or visiting
https://ow.ly/ekI650XTrNH

Hope to see you there!

01/06/2026

Ever noticed how a child can “hold it together” all day… then explode at home? It is also relevant for us as adults.

This is one of my favourite ways to explain why that happens — and it’s simple enough to do with a real Coke bottle.

Sit with your child and pass the bottle back and forth.
As you talk about their day, gently shake it each time a stress or trigger comes up. Share your own triggers also.
Noise. Work pressure. Friendship stuff. Trying to behave. Trying not to cry.

Then pause and ask:
“What do you think will happen if I take the top off now?”

That moment matters.

It helps children see that the explosion isn’t about being naughty or out of control — it’s about pressure building with nowhere to go.

From there, you can explore the real question:
How do we take the lid off without an explosion?

We talk about letting the bottle settle first.
Deep breathing.
Quiet time.
Food.
Movement.
Connection.
Time to decompress.

Regulation isn’t about forcing calm.
It’s about releasing pressure safely — a little at a time.

👉 You can find The Coke Bottle Activity linked in the comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

I’d love to know — what “shakes the bottle” most for your child after school?

12/17/2025

12/15/2025

12/02/2025

11/19/2025

11/06/2025

There are a few spots left for a program starting this Friday, November 7th. Check out all the details below, let us know if you would like to attend! This workshop supports parents in creating a strong foundation of trust and open communication, so their children grow up confident, connected, and safe.

11/04/2025

09/26/2025

IWK Health continues to follow the evidence-based best practices of credible Canadian medical bodies, including the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and Health Canada, which continue to recommend acetaminophen as a safe and appropriate first-line option for managing fever and pain during pregnancy when medically needed, at recommended doses and for the shortest duration necessary.

Untreated fever and pain in pregnant women can pose risks to the unborn child. Families and pregnant women should continue to follow the advice of their health care providers.

There is no conclusive evidence of a causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism.

09/23/2025

Please talk to your doctor. There is a lot of dangerous misinformation coming out right now. I hope this information helps to clear some things up.