This holiday season, most of us need a helping hand – neighbourly help, family support, help around the home, even an unexpected moment of kindness. I’m a therapist, and offer help to others by facilitating mental and emotional growth and happiness.

I also gratefully receive help from others - in so many ways I lose count.  But the most important kinds of help I receive are 2: one immediately appreciated and one appreciated only many days or years later. …

In a recent peer review, one of the reviewers remarked at my honesty in my self-assessment. I was with two others being reviewed, and one of them commented on it after the review. That honesty is something that’s grown with experience and age, but also as a result of working with others …

I’m a therapist and coach. In all the work I do with clients, my deepest desire is to support them in re-discovering their power.

In my work, so often I see and hear people identify as victims – abused, cheated, manipulated, taken advantage of. I’ve felt that in my life, worked through it, and want more than anything to see those I work with overcome it too. …

I was at a gathering with friends a few weeks ago. One member talked about his work situation – how it was dangerous work with many disagreeing politically with one another. He ended by saying: The main thing is, we have each other’s backs and at the end of the day – for that reason – we all get to go home.

That group of workers have all made a conscious decision to be there for each other in a way that matters. …

When I find myself watching another food video, when I end up reading a novel till 2am, when I eat so much at Thanksgiving I hurt … it isn’t that any of these are bad things to do (except for the overeating at Thanksgiving, but safe to say few of us haven’t been there), it’s that I find myself doing them automatically, unaware of it until I’ve been doing them for some time. …

It used to be, for me, really difficult to decide who not to invite to something I was hosting. I’d want to include everyone, even if it wasn’t very feasible. That went for Christmas gifting, and anything that meant the possibility of leaving someone I knew out.

I’d feel guilty, …

In planning for my weekly blogs, I write down any ideas I come across, then review them for my next blog post. The following idea popped up: how powerful a momentary pause is in becoming master of our personal world.

I was talking to a friend yesterday about a relative he loves who tends to get bossy …