Starting counselling, for many of us, is a freaky enough proposition: why add to the stress by keeping the counselling process secret? Writing about counselling and its myriad facets is at the heart of my articles, fuelled by a drive to make information about counselling transparent and accessible. I write about other things psychology-related too, to mix things up.

Personal Growth

10 Things I’ve Been Grateful For in 2023

Megan decides that it’s time for another end-of-year reflection.

Putting In a Solid C- Effort

Tackling perfectionism with a distinctly underwhelming approach.

Self-Help vs. Therapy: How to Choose

An exploration of some of the reasons why you might choose self-help, therapy, or a combination of both.

Go Slow

Can slowness ease anxiety? This counsellor thinks so.

3 Hours and a Jumble of Yarn

Life lessons learned from a jumble of yarn.

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Why I Hate Gratitude Lists (But I’m Writing One Anyway)

An article in contradictions: being challenged by gratitude lists’ tricky bits, but seeing their value just the same. Megan also reveals her 2022 list.

What is a Vacation Anyways?

A therapist’s personal account and reckoning about the meaning of vacations.

Stuck in a Rut? Understanding Stuck-ness And Strategies For Change

Exploring the common phenomenon of feeling stuck, with some strategies to encourage taking the next step.

The Normalization of Therapy

February 2022 In Personal Growth, Therapy & You

The normalization of therapy in our society, including “proactive therapy,” is all good, right? Yes! (mostly).

Ho, Ho, No! When the Holiday Season Doesn’t Work For You

A closer look at some of the reasons why the holiday season might not work for you.

The Architect of Overwhelm

A counsellor takes a stab at understanding her own experience with overwhelm, including her part in it.

Mind Your Mind

December 2020 In Life Transitions, Personal Growth

Musings on mental self care during the holidays.

Sourdough or Sour-no? Coping and Critiquing During The Pandemic

November 2020 In Personal Growth

The impact of COVID-19 has stretched us to the max: physically, emotionally, socially and practically. As we cope with all of this, should our coping be subject to scrutiny too?

Walking To Nowhere

A reluctant, self-confessed exercise-hater takes another kick at the can with a boring-as-hell exercise plan.

The Merit of Discomfort

Exploring the merits of connecting with emotional discomfort.

My Screen Time Is Up By 246%

This counsellor is shocked when her previous standard of of minimal screen time is blown wide open.

The Delusion of Productivity

A sobering reflection on how lofty personal expectations during COVID-19 have yielded some very human results.

Living In A Box

My reflections on coping with COVID-19 self-confinement.

Boundaries: Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy?

If healthy interpersonal boundaries were easy, we’d all be doing it! But it’s a reward that’s worth it.

The Smallest “Goals” In My World

Reflecting on “goals,” Willow Tree Counselling-style.

“Who Me?” How To Beat Imposter Syndrome

April 2019 In Anxiety, Personal Growth

Most of us feel like imposters at some point in our lives. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Taking Out The Slop

March 2019 In Anxiety, Personal Growth

A baking episode-gone-bad prompts me to take out the slop both literally and emotionally.

Reflections On Twenty Years in Social Work

A social worker is surprised to find herself ‘suddenly’ mid-career.

Perfectionism: From Fairy Tale to Real Life

September 2018 In Anxiety, Personal Growth

Getting personal about a breadmaking day gone bad (and what I did about it).

Taking Care of My Future Self

January 2018 In Personal Growth

I’m interested in the question of whether present actions can have implications for our future self, particularly when such actions are done with the mindset and foresight of caring for our future self.

Nothing Will Interfere With My….Happiness

December 2017 In Personal Growth

“Nothing will interfere with my…happiness.” I’ve learned a lot from that quote, referencing it many times in my own sessions, as it has caused me to think about the meaning of happiness and its role in life.

Under New Management

July 2017 In Personal Growth

I recently heard someone using the term ‘under new management’ to reflect the idea of doing life differently—in new and healthier ways. I liked this idea and sought to expand on it.

Confessions of a Recovering Sorry-aholic

June 2017 In Personal Growth

Recognizing over-apologizing and what to do about it.

The Seduction of Avoidance

April 2017 In Personal Growth

For those who are intrigued, and want to consider alternative options to avoidance, there may be something in this article for you.

Searching For Gratitude

December 2016 In Personal Growth

Gratitude does not depend on getting, or possessing, despite the fact that it is often experienced as a state of abundance.

Self-Care Ain’t Necessarily Fun!

November 2016 In Personal Growth

Just because actions are self-caring doesn’t necessarily mean that they feel self-caring.

There’s a Bug in My Water! (And Other Unexpected Things)

September 2016 In Personal Growth

Coping with the unexpected in our day-to-day.

Asking For Help: Risk and Reward

If seeking help were easy, people would just do it; it takes a lot of fortitude to reach out to a therapist. 

When Crisis Hits

May 2015 In Personal Growth

A sudden crisis and how I worked through it.

Self Pity: Pillow or Prison?

February 2015 In Personal Growth

Exploring the psychological dilemma between letting go of the comfort of self-pity and challenging oneself with new, healthier alternatives.

Feeling Bad About Feeling Bad

January 2015 In Personal Growth

Feeling bad about so-called “unacceptable” feelings and what to do about them.

It Took Selling My Home in Order to Clean It Up

Moving house on a short timeline prompted questions to myself about clutter, housework, motivation and personality.

Mindfulness: A Boring Pursuit?

August 2014 In Personal Growth

Mindfulness practice. Not fancy, not easy but it works!

A Resolution For LIFE

January 2014 In Personal Growth

Resolutions should be lifestyle-workable, interesting, fun and engaging….and an option any time of year!

Overcoming The “Disease to Please”

December 2013 In Personal Growth

Understanding the tendency to please and how to work on it.

Perfection Pursuit: When Parenting Becomes Self-Tyranny

November 2013 In Parenting, Personal Growth

It takes guts to parent in a way that is genuine for you personally while also living in a world where the concept of the parent who can “do it all” is celebrated.

When Worry Takes Hold – Part 2

October 2013 In Personal Growth

Talking about ways of working with worry so that it doesn’t overwhelm. A follow up article to When Worry Takes Hold, Part 1.

When Worry Takes Hold – Part 1

September 2013 In Personal Growth

Some observations about worry and some options for change.

Coping With Loneliness and the Holiday Season

December 2012 In Personal Growth

Understanding loneliness during the holiday season and adopting some practical workarounds.

Change!? Why Change?

Dealing with an unanticipated office change and meditating on the reality of impermanence.

Listening 101

September 2012 In Personal Growth

How to be a better listener.

The Sad Little Poinsettia

January 2012 In Personal Growth

Everything around us in a state of flux and change constantly.  Most of us prefer not to think about this.

Perfectionism and the Holiday Season

December 2011 In Personal Growth

When it comes to holidays, there are a lot of ideals to “live up to.”  Sometimes we react to these messages by trying to attain them…perfectly!

The Joy of Letting Go

October 2011 In Personal Growth

Emotional and physical attachments are by nature rigid and inflexible.  The more we hold on, the more we suffer. There is an alternative.

It Took Selling My Home In Order to Clean it Up

September 2011 In Personal Growth

A recovering messy-holic asks some philosophical and psychological questions about the problem.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

July 2011 In Personal Growth

An article about how I chose to spend my two week vacation in a way that would benefit my own mind.

The Power of a Smile

December 2010 In Personal Growth

A bus ride like no other.

Making New Year’s Resolutions That Stick

December 2009 In Personal Growth

Many of us choose New Year’s resolutions which are doomed to fail. There is another way!

Surviving the Holiday Season

December 2009 In Personal Growth

Experiencing the holiday season differently.