Dr. Michelle Emmerling

01/09/2026

Back to school. Back to work. Back to schedules.

If the transition feels bumpy for you or your kids, that makes sense.

After the holidays, nervous systems need time to shift gears. Changes in sleep, structure, stimulation, and expectations can feel overwhelming—especially for kids.

A smoother transition doesn’t come from pushing harder.
It comes from listening.

Slower mornings. Extra connection. Predictability. Flexibility where you can.

When we honor what our bodies and our kids’ bodies are telling us, regulation follows—and routines settle in more gently.

💛 Slow is still progress.

01/02/2026

✨ A Different Kind of New Year ✨

As the new year begins, there’s often a loud message telling us to be more, do better, fix ourselves, or buy the next thing that promises happiness, healing, or worth.

But what if this year isn’t about becoming someone new?

What if it’s about coming back to yourself.

Your values.
Your needs.
Your pace.
What actually matters to you — not what fear-driven marketing or self-improvement culture says should matter.

You don’t need to optimize your personality, body, productivity, or healing to be worthy.
You don’t need a “new you” to be enough.

This year, we invite you to:
• listen inward instead of outward
• choose alignment over pressure
• rest without guilt
• grow in ways that feel authentic, not forced

Healing and growth don’t have to be loud, trendy, or performative. Sometimes they’re quiet. Sometimes they’re simply about being yourself.

And that is more than enough 🤍

— Emmerling Psychology

AuthenticLiving EmmerlingPsychology

12/23/2025

Navigating the Holidays with Complicated Family Dynamics

The holidays are often framed as a time for family connection—but that narrative doesn’t fit everyone.

For many, the season can bring up grief, loss, estrangement, conflict, or the pain of relationships that are unsafe or no longer present. If you’re navigating the holidays with challenging family dynamics—or without family at all—your experience is valid.

💛 A few gentle reminders this season:
• You are allowed to grieve the family you wish you had
• Distance can be an act of protection, not failure
• Chosen family counts
• You don’t have to attend every gathering to be worthy of belonging
• Rest, boundaries, and support are legitimate needs

There is no “right” way to do the holidays.
Care can look like opting out, creating new traditions, or simply getting through the day.

If this season feels heavy, you don’t have to hold it alone. Support is available, and your well-being matters.

12/18/2025

The holiday season often comes with a long list of expectations—events to attend, roles to play, family dynamics to navigate, and traditions to uphold. In the midst of all of that, it’s easy to slip into “just push through” mode.

Self-care during the holidays isn’t about adding more to your to-do list. It’s about pausing long enough to check in with yourself and ask: What do I actually need right now?

That might look like setting boundaries, saying no to one more commitment, taking a break from social time, asking for support, or letting go of perfection. Your needs matter just as much as everyone else’s—especially during a season that can be emotionally and physically demanding.

Gentle reminder: you’re allowed to care for yourself, even when things are busy. Especially when they are. ✨

12/13/2025

Meet Our Founder: Dr. Michelle Emmerling

With over 15 years in the mental health field, Dr. Michelle Emmerling has dedicated her work to supporting individuals and families navigating eating disorders, anxiety, and perfectionism.

Her work is deeply rooted in compassion and connection, with specialized expertise in supporting caregivers and parents through the Emotion Focused Skills Training (EFST) model—helping families build emotional safety, understanding, and resilience.

Michelle is now a national and international EFST trainer, with a profound passion for training and supervising other clinicians so this meaningful, relationship-centered work can reach even more people.

At the heart of Emmerling Psychology is a commitment to evidence-based care, emotional attunement, and the belief that healing happens in safe, supportive relationships.

12/10/2025

Human Rights Day — December 10

Today, we pause to recognize Human Rights Day — a reminder that every person deserves dignity, safety, autonomy, and respect. These rights are not abstract concepts; they are lived experiences that shape our ability to thrive, belong, and feel safe in our communities.

We are living in a time and place where human rights are being questioned, restricted, and in some cases actively taken away here in our province. This makes it more important than ever to understand, call attention to, and protect these fundamental rights — not just in principle, but in practice.

At Emmerling Psychology, we believe that mental health cannot be separated from human rights. When people’s identities, bodies, families, and freedoms are targeted, the impact is profound. Advocacy, compassion, and awareness become essential forms of care.

Today, and every day, we recommit to creating spaces where people are heard, supported, and affirmed — and where human rights are honoured as the foundation of well-being.

Because everyone deserves to feel safe. Everyone deserves to belong. Everyone deserves rights that protect their humanity.

12/05/2025

11/29/2025

holiday party has my heart feeling so full. ✨ Thank you to .eats for the incredible food and amazing service!
I’m endlessly grateful for this team — a group of supportive, caring, thoughtful, and genuinely authentic humans. Each person brings something uniquely meaningful to how we create safe, welcoming, and compassionate spaces for everyone who walks through our doors.
So lucky to do this work together. ❤️

11/20/2025

Trans Day of Remembrance

Today, we honour the trans lives that have been taken by violence, discrimination, and systems that were never built with their safety in mind. As we hold space for grief, we also name the reality that in our current political climate, creating safety is not optional—it is essential.

At Emmerling Psychology, we recognize how systems of oppression and privilege shape mental health, access to care, and the daily experiences of trans and gender-diverse people. More than ever, our commitment is to provide spaces where people are believed, affirmed, protected, and met with dignity.

Today and every day, we remember. We listen. We advocate. And we stand firmly with the trans community in the ongoing work toward safety, justice, and healing.

11/14/2025

So many of our physical and emotional struggles come from a nervous system that’s been living in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn for far too long—often without us even realizing it.

When our bodies don’t have many experiences of true safety, they stay on alert, bracing for the next thing. Over time, that constant activation can shape how we think, feel, respond, and relate.

At Emmerling Psychology, we honour that healing isn’t just about changing thoughts—it’s about helping the body and nervous system learn what safety actually feels like.
Slow breaths. Steady connection. Moments where we feel supported instead of guarded. These experiences teach the nervous system that it’s okay to soften.

You deserve a life where your body doesn’t feel like it has to protect you all the time.

Learning safety is not simple or fast—but it is possible. And you don’t have to do it alone.

11/11/2025

🕊️ Remembrance Day: Honouring Service, Supporting Healing

Today, we pause to remember the courage and sacrifice of those who have served — and those who continue to serve.
Remembrance Day is not only about honouring history; it’s also about acknowledging the ongoing mental and emotional impact that service can carry.

For many veterans and active members, the weight of their experiences doesn’t end when the uniform comes off. Support, understanding, and access to mental health care are vital parts of truly honouring their service.

At Emmerling Psychology, we hold deep gratitude for all who have given of themselves — and we stand with those continuing to navigate the unseen battles.

Today, we remember. Always, we care. ❤️

10/31/2025

🎃 Happy Halloween from Emmerling Psychology! 👻

Days like today can be filled with excitement, creativity, and connection — but they can also bring up discomfort, sensory overload, social pressure, or memories that make the day more complex for some.

As we celebrate, let’s remember:
✨ Not everyone experiences Halloween the same way — and that’s okay.
✨ Costumes and candy aren’t for everyone, and inclusion means creating space for all kinds of participation (or non-participation).
✨ Kindness and curiosity go a long way — ask before commenting or assuming.
✨ Sometimes, the best treat we can offer is understanding.

Here’s to a day filled with gentleness, respect, and a little bit of spooky joy — in whatever way feels right for you.