Christine Bondy, MSW- Child, Adult & Family Therapist

02/19/2025

Local, to Woodstock, group starting again soon

02/19/2025

Thank you to everyone who supported our Journey Well Health & Wellness team at the “Play for Kids’ Sake” fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oxford County! We had a fantastic time bowling while helping to raise funds for programs for kids in Oxford County! 💕🎳

There is still time to donate!

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/big-brothers-big-sisters-of-oxford-county/p2p/PFKS2025/team/journey-well-health-wellness/member/journey-well-christine?

10/27/2022

3 more days!

Today we are sending out a reminder that we are having an Open House for clients and community members at our renovated home location.

You are invited to join us on Saturday, October 29, from 10:30am-3pm. Bring your littles, get dressed up, and enjoy some trick-or-treating in our new space! We will have activities for all ages, prizes, a food truck, and a community collection for the United Way. Please bring warm hats, mitts, socks, and sleeping bags.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

10/15/2022

We are excited to move back into our newly renovated space! Please join us for some fun and a chance to win some great prizes :)

Good morning! While you save the date for our open house, we wanted to share about some of the special things we have planned!

Bring your Littles dressed in their Halloween costume to trick or treat with our team! You can dress up too! We have candy coming from Reel Treats Popcorn and Sweets!

Enjoy a drop in yoga class at 11:00 or 1:00 with Stephanie, one of our therapists, and owner of Ecojourneyingyoga

Snack on some treats from Whisk & Roll Bakery or have lunch at That Food Truck!

We can’t wait to see you on Saturday October 29 between 10:30 and 3:00!!

05/04/2022

Here is what grieving people want you to know: "We love you. We still love you, even if our lives have gone completely dark, and you can't seem to reach us. Please stay."

And here's a handy Do This/Not That cheat sheet to help you best help your grieving people.

Want a copy of this cheat sheet to keep or give to someone else? It's available for free download here: http://www.refugeingrief.com/shop/

02/05/2022

Check out this great training opportunity by Jenilee from Nourish Your True Self

Jenilee's running a safeTALK workshop at Unifor Hall in Woodstock on Monday February 28 from 10am-1pm
At a safeTALK workshop, you'll learn how to prevent su***de by recognizing signs, engaging someone, and connecting them to an intervention resource for further support.
DM me with questions, or to register!
Don't let finances be the reason you don't attend. We've got assistance for that so don't hesitate to ask!
Pandemic distancing and mask protocols in place, no vax pass required.

12/03/2021

Holiday host etiquette: If you’re inviting someone to your home and they’re grieving, be sure you’re inviting their grief to attend, too. It will be there, anyway.

Don’t invite someone with the goal of cheering them up for the holidays. Don’t expect them to put on a happy face in your home. Don’t demand they fake it til they make it or do something they don’t want to do, either.

Invite them with the loving intention of offering cheer and companionship and unconditional care during the holidays. To do this, you will need to honor and be responsive to their needs and emotions.

You can do this by privately acknowledging their grief when you make the invitation:

“I know this season is extra hard and your heart is hurting. You and your grief are welcome in our home. Come as you are, we’d be honored to have you with us.”

It’s also incredibly loving to honor the reality that it’s often hard for grieving folks to know what they will want, need, be up for, or able to tolerate at the holidays.

Giving them an invite without the need for commitment and permission to change their mind is extra loving:

“You don’t have to decide right now. If it feels good to be with us, we will have plenty of food and love for you-just show up! I’ll check in again the day before to see if you’re feeling up to coming over and if there’s anything you’d like me to know about how we can support you.”

Your grieving friends and fam need attentive care and responsiveness at the holidays, not plans to keep them busy, distracted, and happy.

If they’re laughing, laugh with them.

If they’re weeping, ask if they’d like your company or your help finding a quiet place to snuggle up alone for awhile.

If they’re laughing while weeping, and this is more common than you’d think, stay with them - this is a precious moment of the human experience that is truly sacred.

We don’t need to protect ourselves or each other from grief at the holidays. In fact, the more we embrace grief as an honored holiday guest, the more healthy, happy, and whole our holidays will be. 🙏

In solidarity,
Sarah Nannen

09/25/2021

It can be a difficult stage of parenting. Get your teen talking with these communication tips from The Child Mind Institute.

09/19/2021

This is how I approach every single ‘behaviour’ reach out! No child, youth or young adult wakes in the morning with a plan to have a terrible day! Troubling behaviour is the red flag 🚩 for something else that is going on for that young person. Whatever has happened or is happening is so overwhelming that they are resorting to extreme measures in an attempt to get their needs met or as a response to a situation they are faced with. Always look behind the behaviour regardless of what it looks like! ❤️