Room for Growth Counseling Services

01/03/2026

Room for Growth is thrilled to welcome Keziah Emekeme to its team beginning in mid-January!

Keziah is a Family Nurse Practitioner with extensive experience in mental health, addictions, and community-based care. She completed her Nurse Practitioner training at the University of Toronto after several years of practice as a Registered Nurse in diverse environments, including community health, mental health, transitional care, and acute care.

Keziah has worked in interdisciplinary settings supporting individuals with complex mental health and substance-use concerns, with a strong focus on access, continuity, and equity in care. Her clinical interests include integrated primary and mental health care, trauma-informed practice, women’s mental health, and advancing culturally safe, collaborative models that promote long-term wellness in the community.

As a Nurse Practitioner at Room for Growth Counselling Services, Keziah will provide comprehensive mental-health-focused primary care, including assessment, diagnosis, medication management, and ongoing follow-up for individuals with mental health and substance-use concerns.

She will work collaboratively alongside psychotherapy services to support trauma-informed and patient-centred care, with an emphasis on continuity and access within the community.

Although primarily based out of Toronto, Keziah has privileges at the Pembroke Regional Hospital (PRH) and will be able to order further assessment and make referrals as needed for her clients/patients.

Keziah is incredibly knowledgeable, passionate and will increase accessibility for mental health in this region. RFG is thrilled to have her on board!

“I am excited to be joining Room for Growth and to support mental health needs of individuals through collaborative, compassionate care.”
-Keziah Emekeme

12/16/2025

As we get closer to the season, it’s important to remember that it is completely normal and very common to feel an increase of this time of year (studies show nearly 90% of adults experience shifts in mental health due to financial pressure, family expectations, social obligations, and grief among other things…)

If you find yourself feeling this way know that you’re not alone.

Be good to yourself, give yourself grace in less than perfect moments, and if you have to “just get through” - do what feels right for you.

But most of all - recognize it’s OK to feel however you feel.

Although the list pictured gives a few ideas to stay grounded (I particularly enjoy number three ;)) others such as taking breaks, connecting with a trusted friend, cuddling a pet, setting boundaries (scheduling “you time” if it’s possible), self-care (such as taking a walk, a long bath or watching a low-stimulation/predictable show), managing expectations and just doing what “you” can - may help manage those big feelings.

And it’s OK to have really BIG feelings this season. The holidays can be a lot of pressure. Be kind to yourself and speak to yourself as you would a friend 🥰

And, if you’re finding none of that is bringing relief…. reach out someone - be it a trusted friend or a professional…we’re here to support you or help you access support.

Honour what feels right for you.
You’ve got this 💪💪💪💪

Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and “however you need it to be” holiday season!
-Room For Growth Counselling Services ❤️

🌱 💜

12/02/2025

12/02/2025

Matching POWER HOUR Sponsor - Room for Growth Counselling

12/02/2025

Thank you to Shelia from Room for Growth Counseling Services (Power Hour Sponsor) and Sarah from Bayshore HealthCare Ltd. (Matching Sponsor) for stopping by and chatting with us about Giving Tuesday in support of Pembroke Regional Hospital Foundation!

11/11/2025

Thinking about those who have served, continue to serve and their families who also make the ultimate sacrifice. I thank each of you for your service and bravery.
Today we Remember 🇨🇦 🌺

🌹 🇨🇦

10/27/2025

can literally change the structure of your brain. 🧠

That’s why symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, and triggers from certain sounds or smells are real neurological responses — not signs of weakness or “overreacting.”

Here’s what’s happening inside your brain after trauma 👇
1️⃣ The — your center.
When it shrinks after trauma, it struggles to tell the difference between past danger and present safety.
That’s why flashbacks feel like they’re happening right now.
2️⃣ The — your internal alarm system.
If a traumatic memory is stored incorrectly, the amygdala stays on high alert, sending fight-or-flight signals even when there’s no real threat.
3️⃣ The Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex — your emotional regulator.
When this area goes offline, it becomes harder to manage big emotions — which is why you might “overreact” to something small.

Your brain isn’t broken; it’s protecting you. This is also why learning to “ground” and regulate when you’ve gone offline is so important.

✨ The good news? The brain can heal.

Through therapies like EMDR or other techniques such as the ATTCH method, your brain can reprocess traumatic memories correctly — helping these structures catalog memories in a way that is less charging, and return to healthy functioning by bringing your nervous system back into balance.
You’re not broken.

Your brain has just been doing its best to keep you safe. 🌿

Remember that trauma rewires the brain, but so too does healing.

Original post credits : the EMDR coach

09/06/2025

Our Is the Key to Happiness, Focus, and Well-being. Here’s How to Support It Naturally.

When your key brain chemicals are in balance, you experience more motivation, better sleep, stronger connections, and improved mental clarity.

Here’s how to support those chemicals on your own:

🧠 DOPAMINE – The Drive Behind Motivation (loves reward driven behaviour)
Dopamine fuels focus, ambition, and goal-directed behavior. When levels dip, so do your energy and enthusiasm. You can BOOST dopamine through regular exercise, cold showers, list-making, and brain-friendly nutrients like L-tyrosine, magnesium, and vitamin B6. Even small wins can create a dopamine surge—so celebrate progress, not perfection.

💙 OXYTOCIN – The Chemistry of Connection
Often called the “love hormone,” oxytocin is released during moments of trust, affection, and empathy. It reduces stress and promotes social bonding. You can naturally ENHANCE oxytocin by practicing gratitude, hugging loved ones, petting animals, and engaging in acts of kindness. Self-care routines and mindfulness practices also support its release.

😊 SEROTONIN – The Mood Stabilizer
Serotonin is crucial for emotional stability, sleep, and a sense of well-being. To INCREASE it, spend time in sunlight, eat foods rich in tryptophan (like eggs, cheese, and turkey), and incorporate omega-3s, probiotics, and vitamin D into your routine. Practices like meditation, journaling, and nature walks are simple yet powerful serotonin boosters.

🌙 MELATONIN – Your Natural Sleep Aid
Melatonin regulates your circadian rhythm and helps you fall asleep naturally. Screen time, caffeine, and irregular routines can throw it off. To SUPPORT melatonin production, aim for consistent sleep schedules, reduce blue light exposure before bed, and consider herbal teas, magnesium, or melatonin-rich foods like tart cherries and walnuts.

Your brain already has the tools to help you thrive. You just need to activate them 🧠💪🌱

08/31/2025

aims to restore the natural flow of energy in the body and facilitate healing on many levels. It is an ancient technique that is based on the concept that energy flows through us, and imbalances in this energy can cause physical or emotional stress. A reiki practitioner can help promote emotional wellbeing, grounding and feeling re-balanced.

Chris Barling will be hosting his final Reiki Day this Wednesday September 3 @ Room for Growth Counselling Services in Pembroke, ON.

If you are interested in connecting with Chris, please email greensteel79@gmail.com - spaces are limited.

08/29/2025

That part. ❤️

When grief shows up, it’s easy to believe something is wrong with us. We feel broken, messy, out of control. But grief isn’t a malfunction, it’s a natural response to loss.

What hurts more than the grief itself is the silence around it. The way we hide it, dismiss it, or carry it alone. The truth is, unspoken grief doesn’t disappear. It lingers in our bodies, in our breath, in the way we move through our days.

If your heart has been holding something unspoken, this is your invitation to bring it into the light.
Let's Talk About Grief
Friday September 5 at 7:00pm

👉 Sign up in the link in the comments.

08/29/2025

Did you know?

Complex trauma can be considered an acquired form of ?

It changes how the brain wires itself including brain structure, size, and processing.

It changes how an individual perceives/interprets safety and how they adapt when situations become overwhelming or stressful.

Important to note: these are not dysfunctions.

Conversely the body is demonstrating how incredibly strong and intelligent it really is.

This is often misunderstood and there is potential to pathologise (or in some cases lead to a multitude of differential diagnoses) rather than recognize this is actually a normal and protective response.

When it is recognized that these responses actually make sense, and that the body is doing what it is actually programmed to do for survival; healing can begin.

This is why it is VITALLY important to ALWAYS do/take a trauma history.

Remember trauma rewires the brain but so too does healing! ✨🌻🌱

08/27/2025

As winds down and we head towards more structure and routine (and of course shorter days and changes in weather), it’s very likely that tensions will present at times no matter what environment you’re entering.

As we find our rhythm and regain footing - the shift towards deadlines, more rigid scheduling and less balance/time away may inevitably cause conflict.

If you’re entering a space where there’s been a lot of growth or change, there may be adjustments, re-jigging of roles and responsibilities and inevitability there *may* be personality conflicts/clashes in views/values and work behaviours.

Try not to stress, *usually this has a way of sorting itself out. If it doesn’t - try this:

1️⃣ Don’t take the bait – silence is powerful.
2️⃣ Their chaos is not your problem – protect your peace.
3️⃣ Set boundaries like a pro.
4️⃣ Don’t match their vibe – stay grounded.
5️⃣ Keep it factual, not emotional.
6️⃣ Stop playing therapist – it’s not your job.
7️⃣ Use strategic pauses – sometimes say nothing.
8️⃣ Redirect or shut it down – toxic chats don’t deserve your energy.
9️⃣ Stay one step ahead – predict & prepare.
🔟 Debrief with your inner circle – vent to someone you trust.

⚡ Takeaway: Dealing with difficult people is less about having control, and more about mastering your response.

👉 Question: Which of these strategies do you use the most? And what’s one tactic that works best for you in tough situations?