Samara Counselling & Consultation
101- 4090 Shelbourne St V8N 2A1 Victoria, BC, Canada

Posted @withregram @fleurdelisspeaks Even if you can’t get everything they want for Christmas. Even if you had to cancel your travel plans and can’t visit family. Even if your house isn’t spotless. Even if everything is in gift bags instead perfectly wrapped. Even if that super cool, DIY craft with your kids turned out awful... You did your best and that is ENOUGH. Thank you @fleurdelisspeaks #yyj #yyjmentalhealth #yyjmoms #yyjcounsellor ... #gratitude #keepgoing #trusttheprocess #wednesdaywisdom #advice #youcandoit #mentalhealth #courage #confidence #faithoverfear #determination #nevergiveup #yougotthis #christmas2020 #samaracounselling #mentalhealthawareness #inspirationalquotes #motivation #selflove #selfcare #loveyourself #wellness #selfworth #anxiety See more

Today I spent sometime with this fellow. Have you ever had a conversation with a crow? It’s mostly one sided... Around this time many people feel a little... crispy. Holiday stress, pandemic stress, money stress... all sorts of stress. If you find that sitting on one end of a bench while having a chat with a crow sitting on the other end of the bench isn’t something that would help you de stress a little, the second two photos have some ideas to help ground and destress. Do... you have any good ones to add? #samaracounselling #yyj #oakbay #yyjparents #burnout #anxiety #yyjteachers #holiday2020 #anxiety #anxietyrelief #strategy

It’s the holiday season! I hope that however you choose to celebrate (or not) this year you are safe as well as find moments of peace and healing. Looks like Gandalf (my cat) has already found his spot. There are two open session spots on December 28, otherwise I look forward to seeing you in January!

"I can’t make any promises for tomorrow, but today I will choose to be brave. And the key to whole-hearted living is vulnerability. You measure courage by how vulnerable you are. And starts every day by putting your feet on the floor and saying, Today I will choose courage over comfort." - @brenebrown Posted @withregram @wholeheartedschoolcounseling #samaracounselling #anxiety #anxietyrelief #yyj #brave #recoverywarrior #strongertogether

30 Second Dose of Delight Challenge! From @healwithplay Things are really hard right now. The world has been turned upside down. People are stressed and unsettled. Your ability to provide doses of delight to your kids can be limited right now.... But guess what? YOU can provide doses of delight every time you interact with the kids you live & work with. Here’s how it works: For 30 seconds, let joy and delight spill out of you while you interact with the child in front of you. Let them SEE and FEEL how excited you are when they walk into a room (or pop onto your screen). I bet your eyes light up, you probably gasp a little, maybe you even say I’m SO happy to see you! (and you really mean it, and they can tell that you mean it). Maybe you share with them something you remember about your time together. It might sound like this, I was thinking about last week when you were telling those ‘knock knock’ jokes. Dang! Those were some funny jokes. I see you. You matter. I’m curious about you. Show them THAT. So, go ahead - give it a try! Treat your kids, students, and clients to high-frequent, restorative, desperately-needed doses of delight. They need them now more than ever.

Boundaries are healthy. Control is typically not. Learn the difference Posted @withregram @letstalk.mentalhealth #samaracounselling

Super important repost this morning from @lizlistens Posted @withregram @lizlistens Bids for connection are the things we do to reach for connection with other people. . Small bids are the most common and we do them with both strangers and close relations.... . Making bids and having bids responded to are integral to relational success. . In studies done by @gottmaninstitute they found that couples that stay together are responding to each other’s bids 86% of the time. . You don’t need to respond to all bids because you’re human but it is important to respond to most. Turning away and against bids is an indicator of relational issues. . Above is a few examples of how people might bid for connection with you. . Remember, for a relationship to be successful we need both MAKE bids and ACCEPT them. . Which bids have you noticed your loved ones making lately? How do you usually bid? . See more

No complicated techniques or psychology jargon, just one crucial message for all of us. When times are hard, break it down. Take one day at a time. If that still feels overwhelming, break it down again. Just get through the next hour. The closer you get to the present, the simpler things become. @drjuliesmith, recommends the idea of the polar plod. When explorers take on the monstrous challenge of walking to the North Pole, the journey as a whole is overwhelming. A number of... explorers have described the polar plod in which you focus on putting one foot in front of the other, again and again. She suggests bringing this to mind whenever You face something that feels too much. Break it down. What is the next move? Credits to @peopleiveloved for getting it on point. And @drjuliesmith for the words #hope #selfhelp #selfcare #youcan #youcandoit #lockdown #psychology #psychologist #therapist #therapy #anxiety #fear #phobia #relax #calm #focus #motivation #yyj #samaracounselling #mondaymotivation #counsellingpsychology #counselling #anxietysupport

Register today for our upcoming #free #webinar on Wednesday, November 25th from 12:30-1:30pm, where we discuss #challenges that can come with raising a child with #ADHD in the midst of the #COVID-19 pandemic, and concrete tips for parents and caregivers https://buff.ly/32KhveV

This is a beautiful place! I it here! Hope you have a wonderful, locked down, socially distant weekend! #samaracounselling #oakbay #oakbayliving #yyj #rainbow #weekendvibes #westcoastbestcoast #wearamask #counselling #mindfulliving #sunset #victoriabc #victoriabuzz #anxietyrelief

Please Don’t Think It’s Funny - Fred Rogers Sometimes you feel like holding your pillow all night long; Sometimes you hug your teddy bear tightly He'sold but he'sstill strong... And sometimes you want tosnuggle up closely with your own Mom and Dad At night, you even need the light sometimes But that's not bad Please don't think it's funny When you want an extra kiss There are lots and lots of people Who sometimes feel like this Please don't think it's funny When you want the ones you miss There are lots and lots of people Who sometimes feel like this It's great to know you're growing up bigger every day But somehow things you like to remember Are often put away And sometimes you wonder over and over If you should stay inside When you enjoy a younger toy... You never need to hide In the long, long trip of growing There are stops along the way For thoughts of all the soft things And the look of yesterday For a chance to fill our feelings With comfort and with ease And then tell the new tomorrow "You can come now when you please." So please don't think it's funny When you want an extra kiss There are lots and lots of people Who sometimes feel like this Please don't think it's funny When you want the ones you miss There are lots and lots of people Who sometimes feel like this. #samaracounselling #yyj #yyjmoms #yyjparents #growinguptoofast #yyjkids #anxiety #recovery #mrrogers #hugs #mondaymotivation #hope #family #yyjfamily #yyjbusiness

Thankful Thursday... that’s a thing, isn’t it? Is it a thing? Maybe it’s a thing. Well, it’s my thing today because it’s Thursday and I’ve a lot to be grateful for. Today I’m spending some time pondering what I’m grateful for and spending five minutes writing/drawing about that. I’ve just pulled into the beach where I’ve got some solitude and quiet. I invite you to to find five minutes today and try it out too. I’ve included the prompt I’m using below. You can use it or find your own. Prompt #1: Write about your immediate surroundings with gratitude.

Deep breath! . The weekend is here! . Before we all rush off to slow down, relax and enjoy the fall, I’ve a thought for you. ... . What we see is really dependent on how we see. Sounds simple, right? I mean, obviously we’re looking from our own set of eyes, but are we looking at the same thing? The same book, the same sunrise, the same person? We’re both looking at this photo, yet how come we see it and experience it so differently? .. What is it we’re seeing? - two planes at an airshow - a still frame from an almost famous b-listed 1980's film (who doesn’t love those! Lol) - two planes flying low over water and about to collide - an incredibly deft use of tiltshift and filters to make two dapper vintage airplanes appear smaller than they actually are - two, tiny, toy planes a bit larger than a loonie set on the roof of my car and looking out towards the ocean . Perception is the combination of your thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and awareness. The way that you perceive the world is uniquely different from anyone else. Anyone else includes your child, sibling, spouse or best friend. . There’s a ton of evidence (peer reviewed, evidence-based research, including some I’ve contributed to myself) that demonstrates that changing your perspective can change how you experience the world. . Also, and super important note here, recognizing that how someone else is interacting with the world often isn’t about you but how they are perceiving things, and allowing that knowledge to inform your actions and how you respond does something interesting. It changes behaviour. Which then changes your perceptions. And then we go around again... Hopefully this weekend we can catch our breath, have a rest and give ourselves and others a bit of grace as we all move forward. . If you’ve read this far, feel free to drop a comment or a message. If you’d like to discuss further, get in touch! . Photo credit @samara_counselling taken @ Willows Beach, Oak Bay, BC See more

Posted @withregram @lindsaybraman Parents often seek soothing through information, but for kids, support and soothing often comes when an adult can join them in a space without expectations that they report, perform, or explain. . . . . .... . Parenting can be overwhelming and it isn't something you have to do alone. If the idea of reducing the number of questions you ask your child feels really anxiety provoking, consider giving yourself the gift of a check-in with a therapist or parenting coach. Research suggests that a short course of meetings between a parent and a therapist can soothe parents and, by extension, reduce anxiety and anxious behaviors in children. . . . . #motherhoodrising #parenthood #boymom #questions #connection #girlmom #yyjkids #backtoschool #yyj #yyjlife #yyjparents #yyjmom #samaracounselling See more

Can you relate? I can! Welcome to October! . . . #samaracounselling #yyj #yyjadhd #add #adhdawareness #counselling #playtherapy #mindfulness #strategies #anxietyrelief #anxietysupport #parenting #yyjparents

Today we acknowledge Orange Shirt Day to honour the Indigenous children who were sent away to residential schools in Canada and learn more about the history of those schools. Residential schools were church-run schools where approximately 150,000 Métis, Inuit and First Nations children were sent between the 1860s and the 1990s. The schools harmed Indigenous children by removing them from their families, forcing them to speak English or French instead of their ancestral l...anguages, disconnecting them from their culture and traditions and forcing them to adopt Christianity in order to assimilate into Canadian society. The government has since acknowledged that this approach was wrong, cruel and ineffective, and offered an official apology to the Indigenous people of Canada in 2008 What can you do today to help support this day? Wear an orange shirt to help bring awareness to the day and to show your support. Read Phyllis' story "The Orange Shirt Story" with your classroom or your family. It's available in English, French and Shuswap. Share Phyliss' story with others. Read books by Indigenous authors about residential schools. You can learn more about this day and what it represents at orangeshirtday.org -- #samaracounselling #yyj #indigenousyouth #notforprofit #firstnations #charity #orangeshirtday #everychildmatters #residentialschools See more

Good morning! It’s Monday and the start of a new week! The sun is shining here and that helps brighten things! I hope you find your brave this week! You can do the things you need to do, even though it’s hard! I believe in you! . . . .... . #samaracounselling #motivationmonday #anxietyawareness #anxiety #beingbrave #selectivemutism #bigemotions #playtherapyworks #yyj #yyjparents #hope See more

Happy self care Sunday! #samaracounselling

This weekend, I hope you have an opportunity to rest and nourish your soul! . . . .... .#samaracounselling #yyj #yyjmoms #parenting #mindfulness #weekendvibes #anxiety #anxietyrelief #defylimits #westcoastbestcoast #disneyquotes #adventure #oakbay #victoriabccanada See more

Repost: Understanding the fight, flight and freeze response. - Our body’s alarm system is located in the brain. The amygdala, part of the limbic system, it is designed to recognise danger and prepare our body to react to it. Sometimes with children there is not a perceived danger (to us) but their bodies react to a situation in the same way. ... - Fight response can look like kicking, hitting, throwing things .. Flight response can look like excessive fidgeting, darting eyes, restlessness... Freeze response can look like holding breath, whining, shutting down... (These are just a few) - Trying to discipline or communicate to your child in this state is fruitless. - There are ways that you can help your child to recognise when their brain starts to respond this way.The first step in helping them out of fight, flight, freeze response is to recognize the signs as quickly as possible and help your child learn to identify them. - Dan Siegel’s explanation of flipping the lid is fantastic... but you can also use the lizard brain explanation. Empowering children with the knowledge to enable them to talk about their responses and better understand themselves by explaining the amygdala. This also gives them a scientific reason for why they respond the way they do, that we all do it instead of just feeling like they are bad or out of control. . . . . Posted @withregram @plays2talk I love this analogy . . . . . . #selfregulation #mind #psychotherapist #playtherapy #play #samaracounselling #attachmenttheory #yyjparents #yyj #childrensmentalhealth #positivementalhealth #childrenmatter #positiveparenting #mentalhealth #therapy #childdevelopment #counselling #parentandbaby #attachment #psychotherapy #emotionalhealth #parenting #counsellingchildren #mentalhealthawareness #parentingsuport #selfcare #powerofplay #selfbelief #trauma #emotions

I am grateful for everything I have, everything and everyone I know, everything I am. . . . How are you grateful today?

New week ahead! #samaracounselling

A great resource for helping young children heal after a crisis. https://www.facebook.com//a.644984775521/3548097165209820/

Some books are toolkits you take up to fix things, from the most practical to the most mysterious, from your house to your heart, or to make things, from cakes to ships. Some books are wings Some books are medicine, bitter but clarifying. ~ Rebecca Solnit . A book, a story, is no ordinary thing. Through reading we can go on grand adventures! We can see the world through the eyes of another, learn and experience empathy, fight injustice and bond in solidarity. We can be cha...llenged and we can grow. We can do all these things and, if we allow it, we can be changed. , What have you read lately? Anything you'd like to share? . What does this have to do with counselling? 1. Through the use of stories via fiction and nonfiction books, poetry, plays, short stories, and self-help materials, a therapist can help you gain a deeper understanding of the concerns that brought you into counselling sessions in the first place. 2. Bibliotherapy allows you to gain insight into the personal challenges you’re dealing with and helps you develop strategies to address the most concerning issues. It can also help promote problem solving, understanding, and self-awareness. . . . . . . #samaracounselling #yyj #yyjparents #yyjreading #reading #counselling #anxiety #bibliotherapy #expressivetherapy #oakbaylocal #victoriabc #motivation #readingisfun #anxietyhelp #anxietyrecovery #worrywars #adventure See more

View from the chair. As I wrap up the day, finish notes, plant a tree and say goodnight to Sigmund the Octopus, Im reminded of how far I’ve come in a year. And how much better life is. I’m grateful for my life and for you! Hope to see you soon! #samaracounselling #yyj

Wise words from @themompsychologist It's such a beautiful thing to model exactly what we hope our children will do when they experience big feelings, like anger. Here's the thing - Children learn how to regulate their emotions best through modeling. It's one thing to tell our children ways to calm down and it's a whole 'nother thing to SHOW them what this looks like in action. My children (ages 2 and 3) are able to label their emotions a...nd the emotions of others not because we did some activity in a book or I told them to "calm down" when they were frustrated but because I actually show them what this looks like through my own experiences. This takes lots of practice and patience and it's not going to guarantee they will be masters of their emotions (heck, I've barely got this down), but it's a start to normalizing feelings, knowing they are temporary, and there are things we can do to calm our minds and bodies. The language might feel unnatural and cheesy at first, but the more you practice and find your own language, the easier it gets. Double tap if want to try saying some of these phrases next time you feel yourself getting frustrated. See more

Sunrise this morning. One of my favourite times of day is morning. Taking time to meditate, sit in silence and prepare for the day. As the world awakens, I enjoy taking the time to enjoy the peace of the seashore. The skies have been hazy and smoke-filled lately here in Victoria. I’m grateful for those who are working tirelessly to fight fires on both sides of the border. . . . .... . #samaracounselling #yyj #peaceful #yyjmoms #victoriabccanada #pnwadventures #oakbaybc #victoriabuzz #pnwfires2020 #breathing #anxietyrelief #edrecovery #mindfulness #meditation #prayerworks #goalsetting See more

Hello! Its Friday! . The first weekend after the first few days of school at the end of the first wave of a global pandemic. (At least, I think it may be the end of the first wave? I’m not sure because it seems we’re still in it.) . Congratulations on getting here today! ... . I’m checking in to invite you to check in with yourselves, your families and your friends. How are you doing? How are you and your families holding up? . If you need an external ear, you’re welcome to get in touch. . #samaracounselling #fridayvibes #hello #yyj #checkin #parenting #backtoschool #yyjmom #yyjsmallbusiness #victoriabcbuzz #victoriabc #mentalhealth #parentingkidswithanxiety #parentingkidswithtrauma #parentingkids #parentingcoach #beyourself #recovery #edrecoverywarrior #healthjourney #weekendvibes

Reaching out can save lives. Today is #SuicidePreventionDay and September is #suicidepreventionmonth. For someone who’s struggling, it can feel too difficult or even too burdensome to answer the question, How are you? So here are 50 wonderful ways to reach out, start a conversation or show you care about someone’s wellbeing through kind, loving actions. Personally, I’m a fan of sharing a fun GIF or sending a link to something I think the person would like! Never underestima...te the power you have to make a positive impact on someone else’s life P.S. Did you know 1 in 10 suicides involve chronic pain, and that perceived burdensomeness is a leading factor in attempts? Reminding each other we are NOT a burden can go such a long way Posted @withregram @ chronically_cheerful Via @ shoplovesimply and @realdepressionproject #mentalhealthquotes #mentalhealthsupport #depressionawareness #suicideprevention #suicideawarenessday #bekindtooneanother #supporteachother #reachout #bekindalways #mentalhealthquotes #emotionalwellbeing #emotionalwellness #youareenough #makeadifferencetoday #youarenotalone #yyj #yyjmoms #samaracounselling #victoriabccanada

Early morning sun on the new miniatures for the sandtray! Thanks @islandpegdolls I’m looking forward to seeing them in use! (After I bring them back from the beach of course! ) . . .... . . #samaracounselling #playtherapy #yyj #sandtraytherapy #yyjmoms #islandpegdolls #westcoastbestcoast #mindfulness #edrecoverywarrior #thursdayvibes #counselling #rightbrain #toysarewords #findthewords #summer2020 #backtoschool2020 #lighthouse #beautiful #victoriabc #oakbayliving #canada #oakbaybc #cattlepoint #morethanwhatyousee #morning #sunrise See more