Christine McPhail MSc, MA, RD, RP

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Dafter, MI
Christine McPhail MSc, MA, RD, RP

🌈 Queer, Weight-Inclusive & Feminist
🦋 2SLGBTQIA* + EDs + grief + life transitions + self-compassion
🏡 Co-Founder .counselling

12/04/2025

Reflections✨✨✨

Ever since becoming a therapist and likely before as well, I've been told that helping people feel seen, heard, respected, and cared for was essential to this work. This point of view is often credited to Humanistic approaches to therapy and unconditional positive regard but of course the concept of feeling seen and cared for and connected with another human being helpful and healing is as old as time and doesn't belong to the field of psychology alone.

Feeling seen is subjective but from my experience it involves having someone witness your authentic self, the good, the bad and everything in between and still believing in your inherent worth. It's a forgiving and compassionate stance but it also holds you accountable to your potential for a fuller human experience. You may have experienced this in therapy, where you learn that this person really sees you, especially when you may not be able to see or appreciate your self fully. You may have also experienced this with friends, family, teachers, coaches etc. too. Maybe you have provided this for someone too.

We can teach coping skills and share knowledge as humans and therapists but believing in someone's worth and showing up for them with a true desire for connection? That is a gift and it is essential for mental health to flourish. We have to be connected and feel that we matter.

11/11/2025

It's that time of year again....winter brain season 🧠

You’re not alone, if you feel heavy, unmotivated, sad, or foggy — that doesn’t mean you're failing. It means your brain is responding to: less light, less movement, reduced social contact, cold stress etc. You don’t have to power through winter — you can support yourself in it and adapt.

Here are some tips:

-Get light within the first hour of waking. Even 5–10 minutes outside helps regulate serotonin + melatonin. If you can swing it, a daylight lamp (10,000 lux) is a total game changer too.

-Set micro-goals instead of big ones. Your winter self is not the same as your summer self.

- Challenge winter isolation by scheduling small social touch points — even “silent hangouts” while you both do your own thing or check out local shows, museums or outdoor activities together.

-Keep your wake-up time steady and open your curtains during the day (even if it’s gloomy out). You may need more sleep in total too.

-Create cozy rituals: tea, candles, puzzles, reading, small routines that make the season feel gentle. Share these with others.

10/07/2025

Some gems from the therapy room ✨🩷📣

10/02/2025

Grounding ✌️✨🩷

10/01/2025

It's been a while so I wanted to re-introduce myself and give y'all some life updates ! 👋

-I'm a q***r woman and came out when I was 29 🏳️‍🌈
-I'm neurodivergent and have lived experience with an ED and other mental health struggles, which gives me a lot of empathy for my clients 🧠
-I LOVE therapy for myself and it helps me be the best provider I can be 🩷
-Professionally, I became a dieititan first and then a therapist. I do both now 💡
-I find it rewarding to help folks through life transitions, grief, practicing self-compassion, s*x therapy and q***r identity, attachment styles, disordered eating and more! ✨
-I practice from a lens of social justice, including a weight-inclusive approach 📣

-I'm newly engaged to my wife-to-be 💍
-I grew up in a small town outside of Ottawa and we just a bought our first home together there. This is a dream come true for me as I love my small town community and a slower pace 🏡
-I love animals and I have a cat and a dog (you will see them in our sessions if you are a client) 🐈🐕
-I've done dance since I was 3 years old and continue to do adult ballet classes 💃
-I love stuffed animals and curling up with a book, an ipad game., a vlog, or TV show/movie. I really enjoy true crime content too 📚
-I love being outdoors and I find movement outdoors is super helpful for my ADHD. I ride horses now too and am a nature enthusiast and birder!🐎 🌳
-I'm a middle of the roader personality wise. I love my alone time and need it to recharge but I also love being around people and my friends and family. The struggle is finding the balance and honouring my own capacity 👀
-I love being a part of community spaces like markets, local events, the library, bookclubs, volunteering etc. 🍎
-I love tattoos and have 3 of them (so far!) 🦑
-I apply lip balm like my life depends on it 💄
-My favourite coffee order is an iced latte (seasonal flavour) ☕

I'm glad you're here! ✨🩷

09/25/2025

Perfectionism can feel like it’s driving you forward, but often it quietly holds you back. I've struggled with perfectionism tendencies too and I've been challenging this a lot starting as a beginner horseback rider 🐎

Here are a few ways it may hold you back too:

Paralysis by analysis – You spend so much time planning or editing that you delay finishing (or even starting) projects. Fuelled by anxiety, we learn to avoid starting.

Fear of failure – The worry of not doing something “perfectly” can stop you from trying at all. Not applying to that job, asking that person out, trying a new hobby etc.

Missed opportunities – While you’re stuck refining, others move ahead with “good enough” work. They also might experience less stress too.

Burnout – Constantly pushing yourself to impossible standards drains energy and joy.

Self-criticism – Perfectionism can turn every small mistake into “proof” you’re not enough, lowering confidence. We also might criticize ourselves so much that we no longer want to try anything new.

Strained relationships – Holding yourself (and sometimes others) to unrealistic expectations can create tension and conflict.

👉 In short: perfectionism often keeps you “safe” but small. It trades growth, creativity, and authenticity for control. Joy sometimes happens in the messy parts!

09/22/2025

Another round of things I've said as a therapist! ✨🩷💡

09/17/2025

Joyful Movement - What I've Learned Part 2 ✨✨✨

-Movement is NOT your whole identity. Having multiple interests helps make your life more joyful.
- Moving your body doesn't have to be formal. It can be really simple. Stretching, getting up from your desk, taking your dog outside. etc. Be curious!
-Someone else's choices around movement are not guidelines for how or how much you should move your body. You can learn to listen and trust your own body.
-Movement isn't always accessible fully. Try not to let ableism get to you and let this determine how you see your own value.
-The benefits of movement reduce if it is compulsive, guilt ridden, or not adequately fuelled for.
-Movement like any health behaviour is NOT a moral obligation. Your ability to make personal decisions based off of your preferences is valid.
-No one should really be applauding exercise, eating habits or body size without knowing more about the person's values and motivations. You can ask if it's ok to discuss these topics just to be safe. I've seen comments like this reinforce excessive and dangerous exercise habits.
-Movement outdoors brings in a whole other element of experiencing the benefits of nature. I would rather walk in the woods or swim in a lake than go to a gym but sometimes a more formal space is fun too!

09/15/2025

Some thoughts on joyful movement and a few things I've learned....✨🩷

- It takes time to unlearn using movement as a way to “manage” or alter your body.
- Sometimes NOT moving your body is the best choice. That’s how we create new patterns of behaviour, by interrupting the cycle. Rest is needed too!
- Joyful movement often looks like what we enjoyed doing in childhood. It’s more playful or we are more present.
- The movement you enjoy will change over time and as your ability changes and that’s OK.
- You will find better more meaningful reasons that you move your body and punishment will not be one of them.
- Sometimes there is movement we do that isn’t exactly joyful but does help us do other joyful activities. Physiotherapy exercises are my non-joyful movement that helps a lot!.
- Gyms and fitness spaces are not always toxic and some people really love them BUT the conversations that happen in them can be really discouraging and fuel fatphobic/diet culture thinking. Protect your peace, if you need to!

09/09/2025

When trying to heal our relationship with our bodies and the ongoing impacts of fatphopbia, we can feel ourselves being pulled towards negativity and potentially harmful behaviours that don't align with our values. Here are some affirmations we can offer ourselves to ensure we are approaching ourselves with compasison.

Body Image Affirmations ✨🩷:

- My body is worthy of care and respect at every size.

- I can honour my body without tying my entire worth to how it looks.

- My value is not measured by numbers on a scale or clothing tags but struggling with these experiences is valid in a fatphobic world.

- My body deserves nourishment, rest, and movement that feels good at every size.

- I am more than my appearance—I am a whole person with thoughts, feelings, and gifts.

- It’s okay for my body to change; change is a natural part of life that is not fully within my control.

- I can choose compassion over criticism when I think about my body. If Im struggling with this, I can at least distance myself from those thoughts and practice neutrality.

- All bodies—including mine—are worthy of belonging and love

09/02/2025

In honour of my summer read and watch 🌊🏖🩷

08/28/2025

Wondering if your friendship is a healthy one? These are some signs you can look for. Friendships can be a powerful source of healing and connection. A healthy friendship doesn’t mean it’s perfect or free of conflict—it means there’s mutual respect, care, and safety 🩷✨

As a therapist, I often remind people that friendship is about quality, not quantity. Even one supportive, balanced friendship can make a big difference for your mental health. We are social beings, who benefit from positive social interaction even on a casual level!

👉Did I miss anything? What would you add?

Address

Dafter, MI

Website

http://www.blossomcounsellingcentre.com/, https://blossomcounselling.janeapp.com/

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