Esther Allison Counselling
7674 Colborne Street, Elora, Ontario

YEAH FOR SUNSHINE! I've got my curtains opened wide today! Does anyone notice how great it feels to have the sun shining today? The sun increases our serotonin levels, which among many other health benefits, boosts our mood. So if you need a boost today, get outside or at the very least get close to a window and look toward the sun.

When life gets hard and the load gets heavy, sometimes the hardest thing to do is reach out. When your thoughts and feelings are hard to put into words, connect... with someone and let them know that you need help. Those 3 words are all you need to say. You don't have to be the one to figure out how to make things better all on your own. Let the person you've spoken to be the one to help you find the help that you need. We have to start telling people how we are feeling before our world becomes too dark and that darkness becomes our daily norm. And we, as supporters, have to be ready to help when someone comes to us and uses those 3 short words. Is it scary when that happens? Yep, you bet, most often it is ~ for everyone involved. We have to let that fear motivate us though towards a different outcome. The opportunity to start a conversation that could save a life. And we as supporters can no longer wait for someone to reach out ~ it is time for us to start reaching in. No more silence. No more leaving people to try to deal with things by themselves. We have to ALL be in this together. To reach out or to provide support for someone who has asked for your help, start by calling one of the numbers listed below: Here 24/7 - 1-844-437-3247 Distress Line - 519-821-3760 Kids Help Phone - 1-800-668-6868 Good2Talk (PostSecondary) - 1-866-925-5454 WesForYouthOnline.ca #GetInTouchForHutch #NeverAlone #SH44

Did everyone get the emergency alert on their phone this morning to remind us that a stay-at-home-order is in effect? (just in case we forgot ) There is something about using terms like state of emergency and lockdown that sends a small surge of panic through me, especially the first time this happened in March. This time, I’m noticing feeling numb to these notifications. It’s becoming almost normal, in a weird way. I’m thankful for our healthcare workers and for a go...vernment who is doing their best to guide us through this pandemic, and I am following all of the guidelines. I understand the importance of social distancing etc (much to my children’s dismay ). However, we cannot live in a constant state of emergency. What I mean by this is that, we cannot live in a constant state of hypervigilance/scanning our environment for threats. For example, does anyone else find it mentally exhausting to be constantly rethinking what used to be everyday normal decisions: Who can I be close to? Do I need to go to the grocery store? What stores are even open? Can I visit grandma in the nursing home? Can I blow my nose in public? (Okay, the last one was just a joke... kind of ) I don’t need to list all of the pandemic-related-stressors here. You know what they are. We all do. I say all of this to say, that it’s okay if you are feeling tired right now. In fact, I dare say it’s normal. It requires a lot of mental energy to keep reworking our daily plans etc. The mind-body connection is huge. So when our minds are busy, our bodies feel tired. While our province is on high alert, we need to find ways of calming our nervous system down. Our bodies and minds need time to recharge and rest. Personally, I’ve been going for walks, taking hot baths, going to a naturopath, limiting my news intake and talking to friends. What are you doing to take care of yourself these days? Stay well everyone! This pandemic will endI hope No, seriously, it will.

Happy-almost-New-Year! It's been said that life is a school and problems are the teacher. If this is true, I think we have all likely learned A LOT this year! I have updated my blog with my thoughts on how to pause and reflect on 2020, as we prepare to welcome in a New Year. ... You can check it out here... https://www.estherallison.ca//living-with-contradictions-a

Merry Christmas!

So many people are struggling with their mental health right now. If that is you, please know you are not alone. Reach out to a friend, family, neighbours, mental health professionals, your doctor....anyone. If you notice a friend, family member or neighbour has become more withdrawn lately, give them a call or send a text; offer to drop by a meal; or have a physically distanced coffee date. While we are maintaining physical distance, we need to become more intentional and c...reative about connecting socially. Our mental health depends on it. If you are in a mental health crisis and need immediate support call the crisis line, anytime day or night: (HERE 247)844 437 3247 Let’s take care of each other.