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.

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.

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.

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.

It is really difficult for most of us to get through the grey, dark winter days of November to March. Feeling changes such as a loss in energy, focus, concentration, passions, and hope, and increases in feelings of stress, worry, and guilt are typical symptoms of depression. If this is your experience, you have to live through a lot of invisible pain that many people cannot understand. Knowing about Seasonal Affective (or Adjustment) Disorder (SAD) may be a key to happier days. Contact a counsellor, your GP, or the Canadian Mental Health Association (www.cmha.bc.ca) to learn about SAD treatment.

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!

All types of acne can scar; some mild, some severe…but all scars are like diamonds; they are forever.
Modern acne scar therapy with skin resurfacing by lasers, radio frequency, and microneedling can reduce the scarring, but usually a 50 percent improvement is seen as a good result, and the cost can be significant. It follows then that early, active treatment of acne to prevent scarring makes the most sense. Yet it is hard to see a dermatologist, even to get a referral, until the acne is advanced, and scarring has been established. The impact of acne is not limited to physical scarring; the emotional and psychological scars can run much deeper…with social, self-esteem, and even employment consequences. Seek help with acne as soon as you can.