https://www.talktherapywithvera.com/

Talk Therapy with Vera, Virtual Office, Toronto, ON (2026)

01/13/2026

This one is for my fellow therapists.

Changes in how folks view therapy and financial stress can make us question our choices, our worth, and even our passion for therapy.

But surviving this season doesn’t mean doing everything at once. It can mean small, intentional adjustments: experimenting with different offerings, renegotiating contracts, or simply giving yourself permission to slow down.

Remember, your clients aren’t the only ones navigating uncertainty. By tending to your own stability and well-being, you model resilience and self-compassion in a way that no theory or technique can teach.

Sometimes the most radical act of self-care is saying: I’ll do what I can, and that is enough.

Therapists, my DMs are open anytime! I’m curious what you think and how you are adjusting.

01/09/2026

I used to feel so down when I didn’t meet my year-end goals.

But as the years went by with this shame and guilt, my therapist reminded me that what is more important is reflecting and celebrating what did happen.

Besides, we are human, not fortune tellers of our own year.

In this complex and entangled world, things change, and no matter how self-aware or conscientious you are about yourself, you can never predict exactly how your values and goals will play out in real life.

Take a deep breath and give yourself some space to see what has grown in your world, and then tweak where you go from there.

01/07/2026

Childhood trauma, whether it was neglect, emotional abuse, or unpredictable caregiving, doesn’t just live in our memories. It can embed itself in our bodies in ways we might not immediately notice.

Muscle tension & chronic pain: Shoulders, neck, and back often carry stress patterns formed in childhood.

Digestive or autoimmune issues: Stress and trauma can affect the gut and immune system, even years later.

Hypervigilance: Your nervous system may stay on alert, making you startle easily, feel “on edge,” or struggle to relax.

Emotional flashbacks: Sudden waves of fear, sadness, or anger can be stored in the body as sensations before the mind even recognizes them.

Trauma lives in the nervous system, not just the memory. Healing, then, isn’t just about thinking differently; it’s about learning to listen to your body, regulate your nervous system, and release held tension safely.

Your body is a witness, not a problem. Treat it with curiosity, care, and patience.

Want to learn more about how therapy can support you in practicing how to witness your body? Book a free consultation and let’s talk!

12/29/2025

✨ Meet Taylor ✨

Taylor’s journey into social work didn’t come from a textbook.
It came from living in the in between.

Adopted from China.
Raised in a white Canadian family.
Seen as Asian, treated as “one of us,” and rarely allowed to be both.

Growing up, Taylor learned early that people could love you and still erase parts of you.
That racism can show up quietly.
That being told,“I don’t see you as Asian” can feel more invalidating than comforting.

For years, shame, confusion, and internalized racism sat heavily.
Questions with no answers.
A birthday that was only an estimate.
A family medical history that didn’t exist.
A culture she was told to be proud of, but never truly taught how to belong to.

And then something shifted.

Instead of turning inward, Taylor became curious.
She started asking harder questions about power, race, adoption, and whose stories get protected.
She learned that none of this was a personal failure, but a systemic one.

Today, Taylor is proudly Asian, deeply reflective, and fiercely committed to supporting racialized individuals and adoptees through trauma- informed, holistic care.

She believes adoptees deserve spaces where grief, identity, anger, pride, and healing can all coexist.

Becoming a social worker, for Taylor, isn’t just a career.
It’s resistance.
It’s choosing to turn lived experience into care that actually sees people.

We’re so excited to have Taylor here and can’t wait for you to get to know her work 💫

Welcome Taylor. Thank you for sharing your story! If this resonates and you are curious to work with Taylor, book a free consultation call, and let’s talk!

12/27/2025

Winter can feel long, heavy, and a little draining for many of us. If you’ve noticed your mood, energy, or motivation dip during the colder months, you’re not alone.

Join Vera and Taylor for a free workshop on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), where we’ll talk about what SAD is, common signs to look out for, and simple, realistic ways to care for yourself through the winter.

We’ll share practical tips like gentle movement, setting boundaries during busy seasons, and easing comparison, plus helpful resources you can come back to later.

Sign up through our link in bio and hope to see you there!

12/26/2025

The First Holiday Without Them 💛

This might be the first year celebrating without a loved one. Traditions might feel different, meals might be incomplete, or moments might be quieter than before.

And that’s okay. Grief doesn’t follow rules, and your feelings don’t have to look a certain way. You might feel sadness, numbness, or even relief, and all of it is valid.

Take gentle care of yourself. Light a candle, share a memory, or simply sit with your feelings. Missing someone can be quiet, tender, ordinary, and still hold love.

12/25/2025

Distance, silence, and expectation can make the holidays feel heavy. This year, give yourself permission to feel what you feel and know that you’re not alone.

12/25/2025

They tell you to save your money… then ask when you’re going to treat them next.

When love gets translated into bills, comparisons, and unspoken expectations, it can start to feel like a game you were never taught the rules to.

If you’re stuck between wanting to treat your parents, wanting to save, and wanting to be seen for more than what you pay for, you’re not ungrateful. You’re navigating care across generations that learned love through sacrifice, rather than communication.

You’re allowed to want closeness without it costing you every time.

Curious to chat with a therapist about your experiences and how the right tools can support your journey? Book a free consultation call at the link in bio! (affordable price options available)

12/16/2025

When a sibling steps away from the family, it brings up a kind of grief we’re not taught to name, especially in Asian families where unity and “sticking together” may be held tightly.

If you’re the one still in contact, still navigating the expectations, still trying to understand both sides… it’s easy to feel stuck in the middle. Torn between loyalty and compassion. Between what you were taught and what you now know.

You can love your sibling without agreeing with their choices.
You can respect your parents without carrying their grief.
You can hold nuance without holding everyone’s pain.

If you’re walking this path, you’re not alone.
And you don’t have to hold it all by yourself.

I’m here to process with you. Book a free consultation anytime, and let’s talk..

12/11/2025

Hot take: Thriving is not as effortful as it seems.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel every time. You often have what you need to know how thriving feels.

Think back to the tools, practices, or supports that once helped you feel grounded, connected, or hopeful.
It could be slowing down.
It could be reaching out.
Maybe it could be movement, creativity, rest, or gentleness.

These tools did not stop working.
Sometimes we forget to reach for them.

Being stuck in the past keeps you reliving old pain.
Being stuck in the future keeps you bracing for things that have not happened.
Both take you out of the only moment where change and clarity can actually happen.

Thriving is not about massive transformation.
It is about returning to what steadies you, choosing presence over control, and letting yourself move through this season one grounded moment at a time.

You already have tools that have helped you before.
You can trust yourself to use them again.

A therapist can be the witness you need to see yourself clearly. We were never meant to grow alone. Book a free call and let’s talk!

12/10/2025

Navigating being a son or daughter of immigrants or even being an immigrant yourself comes with its own set of nuances and complexities.

And it's seldom discussed how tiring and demoralizing it can be to be in relationships that keep repeating the same patterns of friction.

In therapy, we talk about reframing but also about resourcing yourself throughout the healing process.

This can look like working through grief, stuck feelings, regret, shame, fear, stories we tell ourselves, naming truths and realities, and allowing ourselves to accept reality.

It’s messy, non-linear and can be frustrating.

Healing can be messy and painful, yet gratifying, sustainable and quietly changing us. Book a free consultation to learn more and see if therapy is right for you!

12/03/2025

There’s a big difference between being kind and being nice, especially for those of us who grew up in families where keeping the peace was a form of survival.

Niceness is about pleasing others.

It often looks like sugarcoating, agreeing to things you don’t want, or holding back what’s true for you because you’re afraid of disappointing someone. Sometimes this is needed (especially around big family gatherings during the holidays…👀)

Niceness keeps things smooth on the surface…but it comes at the cost of your own needs.

Kindness, on the other hand, is grounded in honesty.
It’s genuine.
It’s truthful.
It cares about the relationship enough to be real, even if that's a little uncomfortable.

Kindness says: “I respect you enough to tell you the truth, and I respect myself enough to honour what I feel.”

Growing up, many of us were taught that “nice” was the same as “good.”
Nice meant obedient, conflict-free, self-sacrificing.
But niceness often requires you to shrink, over-function, or silence your inner voice.

Kindness doesn’t demand that.
Kindness makes space for boundaries.
It allows complexity.
It recognizes that care without truth isn’t care, it’s performance.

Kindness is also developed through genuine relationships. This can vary from person to person and depends on their level of safety.

During these end-of-year gatherings, take the time to reflect on who feels safe to process life with.

Looking for therapy support this season? Book a free consultation with our team to learn more!

Talk Therapy with Vera

01/13/2026

01/09/2026

01/07/2026

12/29/2025

12/27/2025

12/26/2025

12/25/2025

12/25/2025

12/16/2025

12/11/2025

12/10/2025

12/03/2025

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