We all know that December can be an expensive month. Between gifts, food, and decorations, expenses can add up, and the “holiday spirit” can push your budget aside. While it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement, remember, you will have to compensate for these extra expenses in the new year.
This season is for spending time with family and friends, not spending your money. Do your best to reduce holiday financial stress by sticking to your budget, donating your time instead of money, and choosing free festivities over costly ones, enjoying quality time without a large price tag.

In 1993, Canada Mortgage and Housing funded a study looking at the prevalence of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in Canadian homes. Almost 50% of homes showed elevated levels of EMFs due to electrical wiring errors. These were levels of exposure above that which has been shown to be associated with illness in the public. Powerline EMFs, combined with Wi-Fi and cell phone radiation, may also place a huge burden on our immune systems and spawned a new category of illness known as electro hypersensitivity. Protect your health. Have your home and workplace tested for EMFs and limit your use of wireless technology.

Some lucky people seem to sail through life without doubt. For many of us, though, a negative voice whispers in our ear, telling us how bad, wrong, stupid, crazy, or worthless we are. And even though we know it’s unfair, it can be a real struggle to get clear of it! Doubt, self-blame, self-sabotage, anxiety, lack of confidence can hamper us. How do you value yourself and make good changes when your inner voice is unsupportive? You can learn to support yourself! Counselling can be a safe place to learn this skill, find new ways to appreciate yourself, and rediscover your confidence.

Listen to your gut? Processed foods, chemicals, allergies, stress, trauma, pharmaceuticals and surgeries can all affect your bodies digestive abilities. Chron’s, colitis and other digestive issues are becoming more common. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been proven to encourage remission and decrease incidents of bleeding, inflammation, bloat, constipation and weight gain associated with various inflammatory bowel diseases. Importantly, HBOT encourages long term healing of digestive tissues by decreasing inflammation, increasing stem cells and improving intestinal tissue health. HBOT is a safe, effective therapy, especially when combined with good nutrition and exercise.

Obsessed with the threat of the dark side dominating as otherworldly creatures battle for domination of the planet, this young boy’s music reflected it all. An eerie calm, the imminent threat, then mayhem. Battle-weary soldiers of the galaxy withdrew and peace was temporarily restored. Music therapy has allowed Alex to express with the music therapist via instruments, voice, puppets, and word-play what otherwise was too scary for him to verbalize. Alex stands up to the ‘bad guys’ now on his own, both in his dreams and in real life.

Are you sick and tired of fights about homework? Is your child in his own world or struggling with anxiety? Does she have dyslexia, ADHD, or difficulty with math? All of these kinds of challenges are perpetuated by dysregulation in the brain. Imagine trying something new. Brain Gym exercises act as simple energy switches that release the blocks in the brain. They also activate different areas and functions of the brain. This can result in immediate, far-reaching, and lasting changes. Consider giving your child a revolutionary chance to experience more ease in learning and in life… merely through movement!

Our bodies are like finely tuned instruments. Sam is in middle-stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Once in our weekly session Sam had a maraca in hand and there was a tambourine and some rhythm sticks within easy reach. An activity we often did together, “Switch” was now in progress: I was playing guitar while singing a country song, and I said “Switch!”. I noticed that Sam made the switch to tambourine without missing a beat, literally. How did this happen? Neurobiologically-speaking, a synergy developed between the musical pulse and Sam’s inner body rhythms: His body movements strove to match that pulse. This triggered his circulation by increasing the blood flow to meet the demand. Amazing?! Yes! A mystery? No longer, yet, it does not cease to amaze.

With the holidays coming up and Black Friday sales just around the corner, it’s important to plan how you’ll be paying for the upcoming season’s extra expenses. If you’ve previously adjusted your budget to reflect the added costs, you should have enough cash already put aside. However, the holiday season can sneak up on us, and many forget to plan ahead financially. If you need to reach for credit, remember there is nothing wrong with using credit cards to pay for your expenses, as long as you have a plan in place to pay back the debt in full, within a reasonable amount of time.