Dr. Darichuk Psychology and Wellness Centre

02/02/2024

How we respond to our partners on a daily basis in our regular interactions matter a great deal. We may not be aware of how we are taking our frustrations or stress out on our partners by turning against their bids, but developing a conscious awareness and making the choice to be kind, respectful, and receptive to our partner’s bids is absolutely critical to our individual health as well as to the stress and distress in our relationship.

Learn more from Vagdevi Meunier, Psy. D on the Gottman Relationship Blog: https://bit.ly/3SPerZD

12/14/2023

Holiday host etiquette: If you’re inviting someone to your home and they’re grieving, be sure you’re inviting their grief to attend, too. It will be there, anyway.

Don’t invite someone with the goal of cheering them up for the holidays. Don’t expect them to put on a happy face in your home. Don’t demand they fake it til they make it or do something they don’t want to do, either.

Invite them with the loving intention of offering cheer and companionship and unconditional care during the holidays. To do this, you will need to honor and be responsive to their needs and emotions.

You can do this by privately acknowledging their grief when you make the invitation:

“I know this season is extra hard and your heart is hurting. You and your grief are welcome in our home. Come as you are, we’d be honored to have you with us.”

It’s also incredibly loving to honor the reality that it’s often hard for grieving folks to know what they will want, need, be up for, or able to tolerate at the holidays.

Giving them an invite without the need for commitment and permission to change their mind is extra loving:

“You don’t have to decide right now. If it feels good to be with us, we will have plenty of food and love for you-just show up! I’ll check in again the day before to see if you’re feeling up to coming over and if there’s anything you’d like me to know about how we can support you.”

Your grieving friends and fam need attentive care and responsiveness at the holidays, not plans to keep them busy, distracted, and happy.

If they’re laughing, laugh with them.

If they’re weeping, ask if they’d like your company or your help finding a quiet place to snuggle up alone for awhile.

If they’re laughing while weeping, and this is more common than you’d think, stay with them - this is a precious moment of the human experience that is truly sacred.

We don’t need to protect ourselves or each other from grief at the holidays. In fact, the more we embrace grief as an honored holiday guest, the more healthy, happy, and whole our holidays will be. 🙏

Sarah Nannen

12/06/2023

06/21/2021

03/23/2021

One of our favourite quotes of all times. Children do their best with the limited tools that they possess; they do not have the luxury of having a brain that is fully developed... this takes time.
The ways in that they ask for connection and our presence often do not sit well with us. They get labelled as "attention seeking" and "defiant" when in reality they are crying for us to see them-- to hear them-- to connect with them.

12/10/2020

Very,very exciting news for some of our veterans!

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/06/943647610/he-designed-a-smartwatch-app-to-help-stop-his-dads-nightmares?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_term=nprnews&fbclid=IwAR1g5GIrimvudf4YMR-amroBRIZZyUcY9_uxfhb_B4F0asFOEaKuPmZ_cfE

Patrick Skluzacek suffered from PTSD-related nightmares that were ruining his life. His son, Tyler, created a smartwatch application to disrupt them. The app recently won FDA approval.