When Love Feels Like a Tug-of-War: Navigating Stepparent–Stepchild Tension in Blended Families
If you’re in a blended family where one or both of you have children in the mix, and, as the[…]
Read moreAuthor: Cortney Pasternak
Relationship Therapy Through a Trauma Lens: When the Problem Isn’t You or Them – It’s the Dance You’re Caught In
Most people don’t come to relationship therapy because they’ve stopped caring. They come because they’re exhausted. Tired of the same[…]
Read moreWhy Ignoring Mild Depression Can Lead to More Intense Depressive Episodes
Do you find yourself (or someone you know or love) saying some of these phrases? “I’m Fine… Just Tired.” “It’s[…]
Read moreIntergenerational Trauma and Intergenerational Strength: Trauma Therapy For Claiming Both
If you’re finding your way here because you’re tired of carrying patterns that don’t feel like they even started with[…]
Read moreUnlearning People-Pleasing: Reclaiming Your Voice After a Lifetime of De-Selfing and Enmeshment
There’s a specific pain I see in therapy that comes from spending a whole life trying to keep the peace.[…]
Read moreHow to Help Teens Reconnect After Conflict
If you’ve ever stood outside a closed door listening to your teens yell, slam, or shut down, you know how[…]
Read moreFamily-Filled Holiday Dread? Building Skill and Emotional Resilience Through the Holidays
As the holidays approach, many people feel the familiar pressure of returning to family environments that bring up old wounds,[…]
Read morePhubbing, Loneliness, and the Quiet Loss of Connection: What Therapists See Behind Closed Doors
If you’ve ever tried to tell your partner something important (or even not that important) and they responded with, “Sorry—what?”[…]
Read moreEarly Snow, Darker Days: Grief, Depression, and the Weight of Seasonal Change
In southern Ontario, the snow came early this year. It was heavy, wet, and startlingly white against the still-golden leaves[…]
Read moreParenting Teens Through Sibling Conflict: When to Intervene, and When to Step Back
If you’re parenting teens (and I have – across 2 generations and a blended family), you’ve likely found yourself asking[…]
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