Fresh Hope Counselling

07/04/2024

Western University is seeking participants for a voluntary research survey on eating disorders. They are seeking individuals who engage in restriction of food intake and/or binge eating. Participants must live in Canada or the U.S. and be at least 16 years old. You will be asked to complete a survey (15-25 minutes) and if you choose to participate, you will be given the option of providing your email to be entered into a draw with a 1 in 4 change of receiving a cash prize. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Lindsay Bodell at lbodell@uwo.ca or Abby Kinnear student investigator at akinnear@uwo.ca These kinds of surveys can help us to find more and more beneficial measures to work with eating disorders.

07/02/2024

Are you considering some counselling this summer? Annika Schaefer is accepting new clients. Annika is a warm and caring therapist with a great depth of wisdom, experience and training. As a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), she is trained in working with trauma and has specialized training to help clients work through trauma and find healing. Check out her full bio on our website: https://freshhope.ca/edmonton-counselors/

06/28/2024

Wherever you are in your journey right now is exactly where you are supposed to be. You shouldn't be farther along. There is no right or wrong place or pace that you need to be moving at. You are right where you are supposed to be. No shame! No shoulding on yourself! Just be where you are. When you are ready to take the next step take it.

06/20/2024

Laughter is such a healing and wonderful gift. Did you know that laughter is actually good for your mental health? Not to mention it being an effective ab workout. Laughter releases those feel good brain chemicals. It even has proven health benefits -- improves immune function, lifts mood, and is also fun. Watch a funny show. Talk to a fun friend. Laugh just because. Laugh at yourself, rather than beating yourself up. It's worth it!

06/11/2024

As I work toward building more and more joy into my life, I see the value of two little words -- 'thank you.' Say them often, freely and whenever you want to express gratitude. Saying thank you breeds joy and appreciation.

06/04/2024

There is a term called 'locus of control.' We have either an external or an internal one. An external locus of control is when you look to those around you to dictate your worth and identity. "What do they want me to be?" This is a breeding ground for anxiety and insecurity as we are leaving this definition to come from another human being who has their own issues. An internal locus of control is when you determine your identity and worth for yourself. Then you live out your life accordingly. "I am a person of worth and value, so this is how I want to be as a spouse..." The definition comes from your own anchoring point rather than an external one. The internal locus gives a sense of control and solidity, not changing depend on the person(s) around you.

05/28/2024

Stop body judging! Your own body and other's. What someone else's body looks like or weighs doesn't need to be the focus of your talk or attention. Changing our society's unhealthy fixation on food, body, and appearance comes one conversation at a time (even if that conversation takes place in your own head). Let's change the chatter! Bodies are with us 'til we die -- perhaps we could befriend them and improve the journey.

05/26/2024

Who doesn't want more joy? Take a read of our latest blogpost by Beth Murray.

Feelings come and go like waves. They are emotional responses to what we are thinking about, believing and experiencing. Emotions are neither right or wrong. For example, there is no...

05/23/2024

Who are you trying to get approval from? Seeking approval becomes unstable ground. Sure it's nice to be approved of but we can't rely on the thoughts, words and actions of others to decide whether or not we are approved of. Other people don't get the privilege of dictating our worth and value. Choose to believe that you are a person of worth and value, and in light of that, think, speak and act like you are. When you determine your core beliefs (rather than someone else) it gives you a solid anchoring point to return to.

05/14/2024

With spring coming into full-bloom you might be noticing some improvements in your mood. Getting out into the sunshine is not only good for vitamin D but it also impacts our mood. Even if you can't get a walk in, take time to sit outside and enjoy the sun, listen to the birds, and smell the flowers.

05/09/2024

FOCUS ON: Caroline Ciano, one of our Registered Provisional Psychologists. Caroline has been involved in the mental health and addictions field since 2009. She is a gifted therapist with experience in emotional regulation, mood disorders, anxiety, transitions/life change, grief, personality disorders and eating disorders, just to name a few! She will be working directly with Beth Murray, our eating disorders specialist/therapist and Allison Easton, our eating disorders dietitian. Our ability to meet the needs of our eating disorder clientele is reinforced by this step of Caroline becoming a Registered Provisional Psychologist as her counselling is now covered by most benefit plans. If you know someone seeking counselling, please check out Caroline's bio on our website and give us a call or email. https://freshhope.ca/edmonton-counselors/

05/07/2024

What an awesome opportunity! For parents of autistic children…young or old.

05/06/2024

Are you looking for counselling and not sure if your benefits will cover it? Check with your benefits provider to find out what qualifications they require. Some will only cover a Registered Psychologist (which usually includes a Registered Provisional Psychologist). If that is the case, Cheryl Dirks and Caroline Ciano are both presently accepting new clients! See our website and read their bios. https://freshhope.ca/edmonton-counselors/ If your benefits cover Registered Social Workers (RSW/MSW), both Bea Clair and Cathy Murray have limited space for new clients. If your benefits cover a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), you're in luck! Annika Schaefer is accepting clients and has a reduced fee to accommodate clients who have no benefits.

At Fresh Hope Counselling our Edmonton counselors have a wide assortment of expert experience and knowledge with a variety of counselling requirements.

05/05/2024

Your words have the power of LIFE and DEATH
Which will you use today?

05/02/2024

We all have the capacity to be kind and compassionate and we know that doing so makes a huge difference. This year’s Mental Health Week is May 6-12th and focuses on the healing power of compassion. Our world is full of suffering, let's push back with kindness and compassion.

04/30/2024

We are thrilled to announce that Caroline Ciano and Cheryl Dirks have both achieved their status as Registered Provisional Psychologists. Congratulations on ALL your hard work and endurance to run the gauntlet and complete this rigorous requirement. CONGRATULATIONS Caroline and Cheryl!!

04/29/2024

What are some ways to improve your mental health? Begin with a willingness to work on your mental health (one step at a time!). Here are some steps:
- Have regular movement and activity to keep the body and mind healthy -- don't make it about 'exercise or weight loss' but doing things in your body that help you to feel better.
- Prioritize rest and sleep on a daily basis.
- Learn coping skills to deal with life challenges.
- Stay in touch with loved ones -- don't get isolated.
- Maintain a positive outlook on life. Looking at things in a negative way does impact how you feel.

If you need help making these changes consider the possibility of therapy. Therapy is a proven way to improve and maintain mental well-being. It can teach you healthier ways to interact with others and give you helpful coping mechanisms for difficult times. Counselling can help you address some of your own negative behaviours and provide you with practical tools to make change with. We are accepting new clients at this time, give us a call at Fresh Hope Counselling, 7804873456 or email: info@freshhope.ca

Fresh Hope Counselling exists to help you, no matter what your circumstances are. We provide professional, experienced counselling to Edmonton and area.

04/27/2024

Sometimes loving the one you married is the harder part!

04/01/2024

"Shame has one goal and one goal alone: to keep you cemented in a dark past while it hides a beautiful future from you." Bob Goff

03/25/2024

Did you know that it isn't normal to think about food in an obsessed manner? When you have a normal relationship with food, you think about food when you are getting hungry or if you are planning/working on a meal. If you are consumed with thoughts about food, you might be straddling the line between an eating disorder or involved in some unhealthy practices with food.

03/22/2024

What do you think? Good t-shirts for our Fresh Hope Therapists?

03/20/2024

Profound and beautiful

03/19/2024

Let go of the things of your past that you cannot change. Learn from the past but do not be imprisoned by it. We can only control what we do now and in the future.

03/17/2024

Good words! No fishing in the lake of regret!

03/12/2024

Some days are just really hard. That's a fact in this life. The more we expect that hard days are a part of living life the better off we are. When they happen, be compassionate towards yourself! Treat yourself the way you would a good friend. Would you judge them or beat them up for struggling? Hope not! Take it one day at a time. Hard days don't last forever. Get the supports you need, talk to someone (even a help line like 811 or Access 24/7). Go outside for a walk. Feed yourself a decent meal. Be kind to yourself and others. And take one more step tomorrow.

03/08/2024

I don’t know if you remember Six Finger Sam — he was our forlorn Christmas cactus who was left in the office space we purchased in 2020. No one watered him or cared for him for six months! Thankfully my Mum, the Plant Whisperer took him home and nursed back to health. He returned to the office a few months later — resilient but cautious. Look at him now!! He’s never had so many blooms! Plus he’s confused because he already bloomed at Christmas and now he’s blooming again. I take some lovely life lessons from Sam. Be resilient. No pressure to bloom. Take it one day at a time. Let yourself heal.

03/08/2024

Such simple truth.

Your spouse should love hearing from you because of your encouraging words, not hate hearing from you because of your constant criticism.

Are your words and TONE to your spouse life-giving?
Or life-sucking?

You can decide to make a change today if needed!

03/06/2024

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03/04/2024

Maybe you need to hear this today -- even though life is hard right now, you CAN do hard things! Don't believe the lie that you aren't strong enough or brave enough or whatever enough. Sometimes life is just hard and we make it through one step at a time.

03/03/2024

Thoughts are not facts. Thoughts create emotions. It's not so much the situation we find ourselves in, but how we interpret the situation that determines our reaction. How we perceive things matters. Guard your thoughts. Pay attention to them and when necessary, challenge them and replace them.