Peace By Chocolate is more than an inspiring Canadian business story. It is an incredible example of the healing power of helping. Issam Hadhad had a passion for the craft of making chocolate. So he opened up his own factory near his home in Damascus, Syria. For over 20 years their family shipped specialty treats that
Whenever you see a young person struggling ask yourself, are they Dad enriched, or Dad deprived? I met with a young girl whose mom had recently separated from her boyfriend of two years, a man she had come to know as Dad. As the two adults divided their lives, neither adult recognized the grief the young
A fourteen year old I met with recently discussed with me the idea of selling her soul to the devil. She had viewed an instagram story that convinced her that if she were to sell her soul, she would lose her life but her family would be spared from their financial difficulties. “I just don’t
If you’ve ever struggled with weight loss, you might worry it has something to do with your commitment, willpower, or character. But have you ever considered there might be underlying reasons getting in the way of your goals? Weight loss programs are often embraced by individuals and are a common part of workplace wellness programs. Most
I had to go to prison to learn how important the value of belonging is to mental health.In 2005, I began volunteering in a therapeutic group for men in a medium-security prison. It’s an encounter-type group where about 20-30 inmates and volunteers sit in a circle for about 16 hours over two days. The group
Anxiety, depression, trauma, substance abuse, bullying, racism, sexism, homophobia; the list of challenges our children and youth will face in their lifetime appears overwhelming. To become mentally healthy, confident and competent young adults, our kids will need to develop self awareness and self-discipline. Two families I have worked with in family counselling demonstrate the complexities
Most people believe that if they are diagnosed with anxiety or depression, it’s due to genetics, and as a result, they believe they have little control over their condition.But as you can see by the chart below, genetics are more influential for some mental illnesses than others.As a reference point, you can see above that
Ctrl + Alt + Del: A Shortcut to Wellbeing When your computer freezes and locks up, the shortcut Ctrl+Alt+Del pauses the system, so you can shut down programs that aren’t working and reset.Sometimes, that’s exactly what we need when we feel anxious, angry, down, grief-stricken or find ourselves losing control with a partner or family member.After almost
