Live Happy Counselling, Susan Guttridge BA MC CCC

07/29/2025

There’s a kind of loneliness that doesn’t come from being alone—
but from feeling unreachable. Like the version of you that could once connect, speak, or even hope… has gone quiet.

Depression has a way of doing that. It tugs you inward.
Makes it harder to respond, harder to ask, harder to believe you still belong.

And maybe retreating has even felt like protection.
Because the energy it takes to be “on,” to answer, to explain—feels impossible some days.

But here’s something worth holding close:
Even when the silence feels heavy, even when you’re not sure what you have to give— you still deserve connection.
Safe, kind, pressure-free connection. Even a brief moment with someone who doesn’t need you to perform. Even a pet resting near your feet. Even the quiet knowing that someone, somewhere, gets it.

You’re here.
And you’re still worthy of being seen.
If this resonates, thank you for being here.
You’re not as alone as it feels.

If these words resonate, I invite you to join me in building your own unique toolkit for navigating life’s challenges.

Find the link in bio to learn more.

07/20/2025

Often when we experience depression, we want to fight against the suffocating heaviness of it. This post shares with you a book I read recently by Cheri Huber, who invites us to view depression as something to listen to, reminding her readers that the pain they carry is not an inherent flaw of self but rather a message.

It's written like a letter from a kind, wise mentor who only wants the best for you, and throughout the pages, she invites readers to stop battling themselves: to soften, to sit with what aches.
Not to collapse into despair, but to make space for gentle self-inquiry.

“It’s not the feeling we are having that’s the problem. It’s our judgment about that feeling.” In a world that demands we "bounce back" and "stay positive," this book dares to say: Your feelings aren’t wrong. You are not broken. You don’t need fixing — you need space, kindness, and your own quiet attention.

Which, interestingly, isn’t about bypassing pain. It’s about honouring it. It’s about noticing the stories you tell yourself about your sadness — and choosing not to abandon yourself in the telling.

Cheri Huber reminds us that the quality of our life is shaped not by what we feel, but by where we place our attention. And that perhaps, instead of resisting the darkness, we can learn to be present with it.

Here is what stood out the most for me in the book:

Beneath the weight of depression, something within is asking to be heard.
- Depression doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It might be pointing toward something within that needs care, not correction. Depression can be a signal — a quiet invitation to turn inward, to listen beneath the surface, and to meet yourself with patience and care. What feels heavy may also be asking to be seen. When we stop resisting and begin listening, what once felt unbearable can become a path to deeper self-understanding.

"The quality of our lives is determined by the focus of our attention." — Cheri Huber
- What we focus on shapes how we experience the world and ourselves. When we dwell on what’s missing or wrong, suffering deepens. When attention is softened and turned toward the present moment, even the smallest shift can change everything. Suffering often lives in the stories we repeat, not in the feelings themselves.

What if you didn’t judge the sadness you feel, but listened to it instead?
- Sadness doesn’t need to be fixed — it needs to be heard. Judging the feeling builds distance. Listening builds connection. What if the ache isn’t a mistake, but a message — one that, when acknowledged with kindness, begins to shift?

The best way out… is through.
- Trying to avoid the pain often deepens it. But moving through it with presence and compassion — small step by small step — reveals that it isn’t as endless or overwhelming as it seemed. There’s something quiet and steady waiting beneath the struggle.

You are not wrong for what you feel. Your feelings are your most intimate self speaking.
- Your emotions aren’t flaws to correct or to feel shame for — they’re your inner world reaching out for your attention. When you stop turning away, you stop abandoning yourself. Feeling deeply isn’t the problem. It’s the beginning of real connection.

Let go of the battle. Make space instead.
- When we stop trying to control or suppress what we feel, space opens inside. In that space, something softer can emerge - acceptance, clarity, even peace. The healing isn’t in winning the fight. It’s in stepping out of the fight entirely.

If you’re walking through a low season, this book might offer a soft light for your path. Thank you for being here

("Being Present in the Darkness: Depression as an Opportunity for Self-Discovery", by Cheri Huber)

07/16/2025

Sometimes, the sheer weight of life settles in, not just as a passing sadness, but as a persistent dullness that dims the vibrancy of life. It’s a feeling that can be hard to name, yet it touches everything. For many, this profound inner experience eventually gets called ‘depression’—a word that can carry its own hefty weight.

But what if we paused, just for a moment, and listened more deeply to what this persistent feeling might be telling us?

The experience of depression isn’t merely a state of mind; it’s an imprint left by life’s heavy moments on our mind, brain, and body. As Bessel van der Kolk wisely noted, “trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on the mind, brain, and body”.

This perspective invites us to see depression as a signal. A signal that perhaps life has become overwhelming, and our deepest self is calling for a different way of being. It’s a quiet plea for change, for safety, for a return to equilibrium that feels so out of reach.

Imagine for a moment, that this heavy feeling isn’t a weakness, but an urgent message, begging us to create space for healing, to rediscover safety within ourselves, and to shift towards a landscape of inner peace. It’s a call to tend to the roots of distress, rather than just pruning the branches of symptoms.

Thank you for being here, and for listening to this call. If these words resonate, know that there are compassionate ways to respond, and a path towards a more meaningful peace.

07/11/2025

In my counselling practice, I have the honour of walking alongside individuals navigating depression. What I've consistently seen is incredible strength and capacity for healing.
Now, I'm bringing those insights of what helps to you in my new "Depression Care" video series, starting with this introductory video. My hope is to offer practical ways to approach symptom reduction and to reach those who may be isolated and feeling hopeless.

This series is a companion, a resource for your daily life, built on compassion and real-world experience - it is not meant to replace working with a mental health clinician.

Welcome to the Depression Care series, information designed to offer guidance and practical strategies for navigating the landscape of depression and low moo...

07/07/2025

For those on the front lines, the calls you answer can leave an impact that feel too heavy to voice. But what if healing didn’t require you to speak every detail aloud?

EMDR’s Blind to Therapist protocol especially relevant for first responders. It allows your brain to process even the most harrowing incidents and moral injuries without you needing to articulate every graphic detail. This method prioritizes your privacy, respects your boundaries, and empowers you to heal on your own terms, without compromising your integrity or the weight of what you’ve witnessed.

Want to learn more about this confidential and empowering path to processing tough experiences? Read the full article at: www.livehappycounselling.com/clinician-network.html (link in bio)

To learn more about EMDR and how it can help, check out the Okanagan First Responder Clinician Network (link in bio).
We offer timely, accessible mental health support with EMDR-trained, occupationally aware clinicians.

**No therapeutic modality is one-size-fits-all. If you’re curious about whether EMDR might be a good fit for you, it can be helpful to learn more and have a conversation with an EMDR-trained, occupationally aware clinician.

06/21/2025

EMDR is a powerful therapeutic approach for processing overwhelming or distressing experiences that get ‘stuck.’ But EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is also a fantastic tool for something we all need more of, especially in high-stress roles: emotion regulation and building resilience 🙂
 
Think of your emotional well-being as having a “window of tolerance.” When you’re in that window, you feel present, calm, and able to handle whatever life throws at you. But after repeated critical incidents, high stress, or traumatic experiences, that window can shrink. You might find yourself feeling overwhelmed (hyper-arousal), or numb, disconnected, and checked out (hypo-arousal). It’s like your internal alarm system is stuck on high alert or completely offline.
 
EMDR can help you widen that window. It’s not about ignoring your emotions or toughing it out. It’s about helping your brain process experiences so you can respond to stress, rather than just react. This means:
 
➡️ Better State Change: Shifting out of those intense “fight, flight, freeze” responses more easily.
➡️ Increased State Tolerance: Being able to sit with uncomfortable feelings without being completely overwhelmed by them.
 
For first responders, this is about about enhancing your ability to make clear decisions under pressure, staying grounded in chaotic situations, and maintaining your mental and physical health long-term. It’s building that internal “muscle” for everyday stress and the big calls.
 
Consider it an essential tool in your personal protective equipment. Just like you train physically for the job, EMDR can help train your brain to be more robust, adaptable, and resilient. You don’t have to carry the weight alone – support is a sign of immense strength and courage.
 
Want to learn more about EMDR and how it can help you? Visit the Okanagan First Responder Clinician Network at www.livehappycounselling.com (link in bio). We offer timely, accessible mental health support with EMDR-trained, occupationally aware clinicians.
 

05/13/2025

If you’re having a hard day, this one’s for you ❤️

I don’t always buy the t-shirt, but sometimes I do. When I saw this one, I thought about how sometimes, it’s the quiet reminders, the ones we didn’t even know we needed that can have a profoundly impact.

You matter. If today feels heavy or you feel unseen, please know that the world really is a better place because you’re in it. You don’t have to be doing anything extraordinary to be worthy of care, of rest, of love. Maybe this is your reminder to breathe, to take a break, or to reach out if you need support.

You are enough, and you don’t have to do this alone.

                

05/06/2025

Calling all Counsellors: you pour out care for others all day - but how often do you pause for a refill? Even the most seasoned and skilled clinicians aren’t immune to depletion.

When we ignore our own needs for rest, movement, connection, or even tears, we risk remaining stuck in survival mode - running on fumes while still showing up for others.

Many helping professionals carry:
- the belief that everyone else’s needs must come first
- guilt for resting or setting limits
- pressure to “model wellness” even when we’re struggling
- an identity tied to being the helper, not the one who needs help.

When we treat compassion as a job to perform rather than a relationship to participate in, we risk forgetting that we’re human, too. Please know that you are not just the giver of compassion: you are meant to be included in it.

✍️ Here are some suggestions for your self-reflection today:
- Where have you been overriding your own needs in the name of service to others?
- What might it look like to care for yourself with the same sincerity you offer others?
- What signals does your body or mind give you when you’re approaching burnout—and do you listen?
- When was the last time you felt fully restored? What contributed to that feeling?
- What belief keeps you from stepping away or saying no (even when you’re stretched thin?)
- If you treated your own needs as non-negotiable, how might your day look different?
- How do you know when you’re giving from a place of fullness versus a place of obligation?
- Who helps you feel held, supported, or understood (and are you creating space for those connections?)
- What does true rest look like for you - not just sleep, but the kind that allows you to exhale?

Dear Counsellor, remember that you are a whole human being deserving of the same care you offer to others. Take a small action today as you remember that your mental health matters, too 🥰

05/05/2025

“Compassion is not complete unless it includes oneself. ” Many of us find it easier to be kind to others than to ourselves. Perhaps it’s because for some, self-compassion was never modeled growing up, or they learned that being hard on themselves was the only way to improve. From such a lens, it’s easy to confuse self-compassion with selfishness or weakness.

But the opposite is actually true: self-compassion boosts resilience, lowers anxiety, and improves motivation. It leads to more authentic relationships—because we’re no longer performing or pleasing just to feel worthy.

Compassion isn’t something we earn. It’s a birthright. And that includes you.

So for today, could you turn your lens inward to notice how you speak to yourself? And, try asking, would you say that to a friend? If the words to self are harsh, try a simple reframe: “I’m doing the best I can in this moment”. Then pause for a breath, and notice what it feels like to let that be enough.

(Quote from meditation teacher Allan Lokos)

05/04/2025

Sharing this information from NIMH: tips and resources to help you take care of your mental health ☺Check out : nimh.nih.gov/mymentalhealth

05/03/2025

Stress isn’t always obvious. It can hide in everyday habits and subtle signs we often overlook. It can look like…

- Sleeping too much or too little
- Craving sugar, carbs, or salty snacks constantly
- Zoned-out scrolling (content’s there, but it’s not really registering)
- Snapping at people you care about over small things
- Struggling to focus, feeling foggy, or forgetting things
- Feeling numb, disconnected, or “not like yourself”

Sometimes stress can creep in quietly - in habits, reactions, or how tired you feel. This Mental Health Awareness Month, can you develop a new habit of noticing how you are feeling? It can be as simple as pausing to ask yourself:

- How am I, really? And what would help, even just a little?
- What’s this emotion/reaction/etc trying to tell me?

Noticing is the first step. 
This month, be a little more honest with how you are doing and a lot more compassionate — with yourself and with others 😊


💚

05/01/2025

This might be a Canadian stereotype - but we sure do check the weather forecast a lot! I wonder, what if you were to check in on your mental health as often as you check the weather?

☀️ Sunny? Celebrate it. Notice what’s feeling good. Let yourself soak it in.
🌤️ Partly cloudy? What’s weighing on you? What do you need more or less of today?
🌧️ Rainy? Be gentle. You don’t have to “fix” everything. Rest is productive too.
🌪️ Stormy? Reach out. Text a friend. Talk it out. You don’t have to ride it out alone.

Our emotions can sometimes change like the weather. Check in. Notice. Adapt. Care for yourself daily.

We check the forecast to plan our day—why not check in with our minds too? Because, your emotional climate is so important! This Mental Health Awareness Month, make small moments of care part of your routine 🙂