West Island Neuropsychology and Counseling Centre/Centre de neuropsy

05/01/2026

04/29/2026

People-pleasing behaviors are often exhibited by individuals who fear abandonment from others. They may support others at the expense of their own needs.

04/17/2026

**“You Were Never ‘Too Much’… You Were Just Misunderstood”**

For a long time, ADHD wasn’t really *understood*… it was judged.

If you go back a few decades, the story around ADHD looked very different. It was mostly associated with loud, hyperactive boys in classrooms. If you didn’t fit that exact image, especially if you were a girl, quiet, or just internally struggling… you were overlooked.

And instead of being supported, you were labeled.

**The Old Narrative That Hurt So Many**
You weren’t seen as someone with a different brain.
You were seen as lazy.
Careless.
Disorganized.
“Not trying hard enough.”

Teachers got frustrated. Parents got confused. And you? You probably started blaming yourself.

Because when no one explains *why* something is hard for you… you assume it’s your fault.

So you learned to mask.
To overcompensate.
To push yourself harder than everyone else just to feel “normal.”

And still, it never felt enough.

**The Shift That Changed Everything**
Now, slowly, the understanding is changing.

ADHD is no longer just about behavior… it’s about how the brain processes attention, emotions, and executive functions. It’s recognized in women, in adults, in people who were missed for years.

And suddenly, things start making sense.

Why you struggled with consistency.
Why simple tasks felt overwhelming.
Why your mind could hyperfocus on one thing and completely avoid another.

It wasn’t a lack of effort.
It was a different wiring.

**From Shame To Self-Awareness**
That shift matters more than people realize.

Because when you stop seeing yourself as “broken”…
you start seeing patterns instead of failures.

You stop asking, “What’s wrong with me?”
and start asking, “What works for me?”

And that question changes everything.

**You Were Always Trying Hard Enough**
The truth is, you were never behind.
You were navigating a system that wasn’t built for your brain.

And now that the understanding is evolving, you finally get something you should’ve had from the beginning:

Clarity.
Language.
And a little more compassion for yourself.

Because ADHD isn’t a character flaw.
It never was.

04/11/2026

Check out our support groups in April. They provide a warm welcome and help for you whether you're living with a mental illness or care about someone who does. New this month: a group for Spouses and Partners.

Explore all our groups here: amiquebec.org/support

03/30/2026

Interesting new concept I never heard of before yesterday! May have been identified during or exacerbated by the pandemic?

Learn what social anhedonia is, how it differs from other conditions like Social Anxiety, and how to manage its symptoms effectively.

03/17/2026

Great parenting tips

03/13/2026

Wow!

Psychiatry > DepressionOne 10-minute exercise can reduce depression, even a month laterPublished March 6, 2026Originally published on ScienceAlert LatestA well-designed 10-minute online exercise can spark small reductions in depression.That's the key finding of my team's paper, published in Natu...

03/11/2026

Not too much, not too little...there is a "just right" amount of social media for kids

The study was published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics on Monday.

02/26/2026

Growing up with ADHD meant being called “distracted” when I needed to move.
“Too emotional” when I needed to feel.
“Defiant” when I asked questions to understand.

I thought I lacked discipline - but really, I had a different rhythm.

Today, I learn by dancing, sketching, writing, building…
I’ve studied languages, medicine, movement, tech… not because I’m scattered - but because I’m lit up by curiosity, not routine.

If it speaks to you… I salute you.
For every beautifully wired soul who learns out loud.

02/23/2026

Boundaries are so important but sometimes so difficult to establish