Graystone Counselling & Consulting

12/12/2025

Protecting Your Heart: Why Guarding Your Calm Matters

In a world that often feels loud, demanding, and emotionally overwhelming, protecting your heart isn’t selfish—it’s essential. Our “heart” holds more than feelings; it holds our sense of safety, connection, and calm. When that calm is repeatedly disrupted by stress, conflict, or grief, our nervous system stays on high alert, leaving us exhausted and disconnected from ourselves and others.

Protecting your heart means recognizing what drains you and giving yourself permission to create boundaries. It may look like stepping away from conversations that escalate, limiting exposure to people or environments that increase anxiety, or intentionally choosing rest instead of pushing through. These small acts of self-protection help your nervous system settle and restore balance.

When we protect our calm, we become more present. We respond instead of react. We have more emotional energy for our children, our relationships, and ourselves. This is especially important during times of grief or transition, when the heart is already carrying more than usual.

Think of it like wearing a “heart jacket”—a layer of care, compassion, and intention that shields you from unnecessary distress while still allowing warmth and connection. Protecting your heart doesn’t mean shutting others out; it means choosing what gets close enough to affect your inner peace.

With Love,

Your Graystone Team

12/12/2025

Pause. Disconnect. Reconnect.

12/10/2025

What happens around us is often beyond our control — but what happens within us never is.
The Stoics remind us that the true source of our peace or distress lies not in events themselves, but in the meanings we assign to them.

Every moment presents a choice:
• A choice in how we interpret what we see.
• A choice in the story we tell ourselves.
• A choice in how we respond.

When we pause and recognize this freedom, we reclaim our power.
Accountability is not about blame — it is about ownership.
Ownership of our thoughts, our reactions, and the direction we take next.

You are not bound by your first thought.
You are not defined by automatic reactions.
You have the ability to step back, reflect, and choose again.

This is where strength grows.
This is where freedom starts.
This is where change becomes possible.

Are you struggling with anger, impulsive thoughts, or reactive behaviours?
You’re not alone — and you don’t have to navigate it by yourself.

At GRAYSTONE COUNSELLING, we help individuals understand their emotions, build healthier responses, and regain control over their thoughts and actions.

✨ Learn practical tools to manage anger
✨ Reduce impulsive reactions
✨ Build emotional resilience
✨ Strengthen relationships and communication

Take the first step toward calm, clarity, and confidence.

Reach Out Anytime or Book Online

📍 GRAYSTONE COUNSELLING
795 Main Street, Moncton, NB

📞 506-777-2274
🌐

Graystone Counselling offers therapeutic services to help individuals, couples, and families navigate life’s challenges.

12/08/2025

How We Treat Others Is a Reflection of Our Inner Child

We often assume our reactions to others—our compassion, defensiveness, anger, or patience—are simply about the moment. But in therapy, we learn something deeper:

How we treat others is often a direct reflection of our inner child—the parts of us shaped long before we had language, before we understood boundaries, before we knew what love or safety could feel like.

When we pause to notice our reactions, we begin to see:
We’re not only responding to the person in front of us.
We’re responding from the child we once were.

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How the Inner Child Shows Up in Relationships
• Criticism: If we were criticized growing up, even gentle feedback can trigger shame or defensiveness.
• Dismissed needs: If our feelings weren’t valued, we may now minimize our needs or feel overwhelmed by others’.
• Conditional love: If affection depended on performance, we may become perfectionistic or over-giving to earn connection.
• Ignored boundaries: If limits weren’t respected, we may struggle to set them now—or set them abruptly.

Our reactions are not flaws.
They’re clues.

Clues pointing us toward old wounds, unmet needs, and the parts of us still seeking safety and understanding.

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What Healing the Inner Child Can Look Like

Healing isn’t about erasing our past.
It’s about tending to the parts of us that learned to survive without consistent emotional safety.
• Self-compassion: Speaking to yourself with gentleness and kindness.
• Reparenting: Offering yourself the safety, validation, and boundaries you once needed.
• Noticing without judgment: Asking what a reaction is trying to protect.
• Support and therapy: Allowing others to witness and help process what once felt too heavy.
• Feeling your feelings: Giving long-suppressed emotions space to move.

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How Healing Gently Transforms the Way We Relate

As we tend to our inner child, our relationships begin to shift in meaningful ways:
• we react less and respond with more clarity
• we take things less personally and more thoughtfully
• we show compassion without overextending ourselves
• we set boundaries with confidence and kindness
• we feel more grounded inside—and naturally offer that grounding to others

When our inner child feels seen and supported, we stop relating from old wounds.
We begin relating from a calmer, more regulated, and genuinely compassionate place.

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With Love,
Your Graystone Team

12/08/2025

Loving our children loudly isn’t about doing more — it’s about noticing more.
Respecting them begins with respecting ourselves: listening to our tone, watching our reactions, and becoming curious about what’s happening inside.

When we pause before responding, we give ourselves room to choose connection over reflex.
And when we pause before offering help, we let our children discover their own strength.

Our behaviour is a mirror, and so is theirs.
Listen openly.
Respond honestly.
Let love be something they can feel — and something you can feel, too.

With Love,
Your Graystone Team

12/04/2025

We spend most of our lives in our own minds — so it’s worth making that space a kind one.

Our thoughts shape the way we feel, and in turn, influence how we behave. When our inner world is filled with harshness, comparison, or fear, it’s no surprise that our emotions and actions begin to mirror that tone. But when we practice gentler, more balanced thinking, we create space for calmer feelings and more intentional choices.

It’s important to remember that while we can’t always control what happens to us, we do have a choice in how we respond internally. Viktor Frankl wrote about the “last of the human freedoms” — the freedom to choose our thoughts, our attitude, and the meaning we give to our experiences. This doesn’t mean forcing positivity or ignoring pain; rather, it’s recognizing that we have agency in how we relate to our thoughts.

With practice, we can shift from being at the mercy of our mind to being an active participant in shaping it. We can notice unhelpful thoughts, challenge them, and choose ones that support our well-being. In doing so, we create a mental space that feels safer, more compassionate, and more aligned with the life we want to live.

Make your mind a place you don’t need to escape from — a place that supports you instead of works against you. You deserve that.

With Love,

Your Graystone Team

11/29/2025

Have you considered supporting a local family this Christmas? It’s always meaningful to know exactly where your donation goes — and what better way than contributing directly to a family in your own community. If this interests you, reach out and we can help connect you with a family who could use the support.

11/24/2025

The 8 Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine

Small, consistent choices can create big changes in our physical, mental, and emotional health. These eight pillars form the foundation of long-term wellness:

✨ 1. Nutrition
Nourish your body with whole foods—colorful fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of water. What you eat directly influences energy, mood, and overall vitality.

✨ 2. Movement
Regular movement supports both body and brain. Whether it’s walking, stretching, strength training, or dance—find activities you enjoy and make movement a daily habit.

✨ 3. Sleep
Quality sleep is essential for repair and emotional balance. Aim for 7–9 hours to help improve focus, mood, immunity, and stress tolerance.

✨ 4. Stress Management
Slow down and create moments of calm. Breathing exercises, nature time, boundaries, and intentional rest all help reset the nervous system and reduce overwhelm.

✨ 5. Social Connection
Meaningful relationships are one of the strongest predictors of health. Supportive friendships, family bonds, and community involvement nurture resilience and happiness.

✨ 6. Meditation & Mindfulness
Just a few minutes of grounding or mindful breathing can reduce stress hormones and increase clarity. Stillness helps you respond, not react.

✨ 7. Purpose
A sense of meaning—whether through work, caregiving, creativity, or contribution—provides direction and motivation. Purpose fuels long-term well-being.

✨ 8. Toxin Reduction
Limit alcohol, to***co, harsh chemicals, and even digital overstimulation. Reducing toxic inputs helps your body and mind function at their best.

💛 You don’t need perfection—just small, steady steps toward a healthier life.

Which pillar are you focusing on this week?

Follow Dr. Jules Cormier for tips and strategies in achieving balanced heath and wellbeing.

11/21/2025

💚 I CAN FIND MY CALM 💚
NOW ENROLLING – NEW YEAR 2026

Feelings & Emotions Group for Kids (Ages 6–8)

Help your child start the new year feeling brave, strong, grounded, and confident in understanding their emotions.

This group is led by Licensed Family Therapist Cara Beth Elliott and Somatic Practitioner & Yoga Instructor Melanie LeClair, blending therapeutic support, movement, creativity, theatre play, and mindfulness to help children learn emotional regulation in a fun and engaging way.

Our 6-session program helps children explore emotions, build coping skills, and learn how to find their calm in a supportive and playful environment.

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🧠 Kids Will Learn To:
• Recognize emotions such as sadness, joy, anger, frustration, and calm
• Understand how feelings show up in their bodies
• Practice calming strategies when emotions feel overwhelming
• Build positive self-talk (I am strong. I am brave. I am kind.)
• Shift from excited or overwhelmed states back to calm
• Use breathing, gentle yoga, and somatic tools for grounding
• Strengthen social skills and confidence through group activities
• Build confidence through games, theatre acting, and group play

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🎉 Program Details – New Year 2026
• ⏰ Fridays from 3:00–4:30 p.m.
• 📅 6-session program (meeting every two weeks starting Friday, January 16, 2026)
• 🧺 Snacks included
• 💰 Cost: $95 each session (child therapy receipt, direct billing to most insurance companies)
• 📍 Location: Workspace Moncton Event Room

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🌟 Session Highlights

✨ “I Am…” Identity Warm-Up
Empowering character words to build confidence and emotional awareness.

🎭 Theatre Acting, Improv & Emotion Play
Children use dramatic play, imagination, and role-play to explore feelings safely and creatively. Acting out scenarios helps them practice expressing emotions and finding calm in an engaging way.

🎈 Balloon Breathing & Calm-Down Practice
Learning how different emotions affect breathing and how calm breath helps settle the body.

🎭 Emotion Charades & Play-Doh Creations
Acting, guessing, building, and expressing emotions through imaginative and hands-on play.

🧘 Yoga + Somatic Calming Tools
Breathing exercises, grounding techniques, and fun strength poses led by Melanie.

🎮 Excited-to-Calm Transition Games
Practicing how to move from high-energy states back to calm using intentional breathing and body awareness.

📚 Learning Table
A reflective station where children draw, write, or create something related to the day’s emotional lesson.

🫶 Circle of Friends – Eating & Conversation
Shared snacks, gratitude, gentle conversation, and group connection to end each session.

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✨ Children leave each week with the affirmation:
“I am strong. I am brave. I can find my calm.” ✨

📩 Spaces are limited!
Call us or email info@graystonecounselling.ca to reserve your child’s spot.

11/21/2025

✨ Be the Change You Wish to See ✨

“Be the change you wish to see in the world” — often attributed to Gandhi — is a powerful reminder that meaningful transformation begins within. Rather than waiting for systems, circumstances, or other people to shift, we can start by embodying the values we want to see reflected around us.

If you want a kinder world, lead with kindness.
If you want more fairness, practice fairness.
If you want progress, take steps—big or small—toward growth.

Real, lasting change begins at the individual level. Your daily actions and choices ripple outward, shaping your relationships, your community, and ultimately, the world.

At Graystone Counselling & Consulting, we believe that societal transformation begins with personal transformation.

Are you ready to take the next step toward your own growth and healing?

Reach out for empowered support — in person downtown Moncton or virtually across Canada.

With Love,

Cara Beth Elliott

Clinical Director & Licensed Family Therapist
Info@graystonecounselling.ca
506-777-7724

11/19/2025

Micro-Moments of Mindfulness: Rewriting Your Story One Pause at a Time

In the rush of daily life, it’s easy to move from thought to thought without noticing the impact they have on our mood, body, and behavior. But something powerful happens when we choose micro-moments of mindfulness—tiny pauses that take only seconds. These small decisions create space, clarity, and a chance to shift our internal story.

Why Micro-Pauses Matter

When you pause, breathe, and gently observe your thoughts, you interrupt the automatic cycle that drives stress, rumination, and emotional reactivity. This isn’t about stopping thoughts, but about creating a moment where you can choose how to respond rather than react.

From a clinical perspective, this pause activates the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for emotional regulation, decision-making, and perspective-taking. In that brief moment of awareness, you gain access to clearer thinking and greater control.

Your Brain Doesn’t Differentiate Between Real and Imagined Thoughts

One of the most profound truths in psychology is that the brain responds to imagined experiences in many of the same ways it responds to real ones.
If you picture a stressful scenario, your body reacts with tension.
If you imagine a hopeful or empowering possibility, your body softens and your nervous system steadies.

This is not “faking it”—it’s using your brain’s wiring to your advantage.

When you choose to reframe a thought, you are giving your brain new material to work with. Over time, these choices carve new neural pathways, allowing more balanced, compassionate, and positive interpretations to feel natural.

Rewriting Your Story Takes Practice

Choosing a new perspective doesn’t happen instantly. It’s like building a muscle—small, consistent reps matter far more than one big effort.
• The first rep might feel awkward.
• The tenth rep might feel forced.
• The hundredth rep begins to feel familiar.
• And eventually, it becomes your new baseline.

This is the work of self-control and emotional resilience: practicing the ability to shift from “I’m stuck” to “I have options,” from “Everything is going wrong” to “There is something I can handle right now.”

Choosing a Different Story

You don’t need to change everything at once. You just need to choose one mindful moment at a time.

Pause.
Breathe.
Notice.
Reframe.

Ask yourself:
“Is there a more helpful way to tell this story?”
Not a perfect way, not a sugar-coated way—just a slightly more compassionate, hopeful, or grounded one.

Those micro-choices accumulate.
They create clarity.
They strengthen your inner stability.
And eventually, they reshape your lived experience from the inside out.

With Love,

Your Graystone Team 🖤🤍🩶

11/17/2025

Addiction Doesn’t Discriminate

Addiction is not a sign of weakness, failure, or lack of willpower. It is a complex, deeply human experience that can affect anyone—regardless of age, race, gender, income, education, or background. It doesn’t care where you come from, what you believe, or how resilient you’ve been.

People from every walk of life can be affected by addiction, influenced by factors such as genetics, mental health, trauma, stress, and life circumstances. Addiction is never simple, and each person’s experience is unique.

At Graystone Counselling & Consulting, we recognize the strength it takes to ask for help.
We provide a safe, compassionate, and judgment-free space for individuals and families navigating the challenges of addiction. You deserve support that sees your humanity—not your struggle.

Healing begins with understanding, connection, and stigma-free support. When we make room for honest conversations, we make room for change.
Recovery is possible—and with the right support, it becomes a journey of hope, dignity, and renewed possibility.

If you’re ready to take the next step, reach out today. You don’t have to navigate this alone—support is here when you need it.

📍 In-person sessions available in downtown Moncton, NB
💻 Virtual counselling offered across New Brunswick
📧 info@graystonecounselling.ca

📞 506-777-2274

Graystone Counselling offers therapeutic services to help individuals, couples, and families navigate life’s challenges.