Sandy Amodio Counselling
2225 New Street L7R 1J2 Burlington, ON, Canada

Recently I went to Portugal and visited an old town called Evora, which has a chapel completely made of human bones. Sounds a bit morbid I know, but it was really a powerful reminder of the need for us to be mindful of our impermanence in the world.The chapel was built by priests so that they could contemplate impermanence. Mindfulness is based on Buddhist ideas that have been around for centuries. I have been studying some of these teachings to develop a deeper appreciation ...for a mindful way of life. One of the awarenesses that I incorporate into my counselling practice, where applicable, is the idea that most human beings are very attached to the concept of a "fixed, permanent self." This attachment actually causes us a great deal of suffering. This notion of a permanent "I" or self is not really compatible with reality. Our bodies, thoughts and emotions are always changing and evolving- indeed our bodies are not the same as they were five minutes ago! We are not the same person we were 5 years ago, I year ago,3 months ago- so where is this so called "self" hiding? We are so afraid to lose it, so afraid of change and death because we see it as the loss of the "self" that we are so attached to.The good news is that we can never lose the self because it never existed (as we see it) in the first place! We are in a constant state of change and flux and thus there is no permanent or static "self" that we can point to.This realization can actually be quite liberating! If there is no fixed "self" that I can hold on to then do I need to take myself and my life so seriously? Do I need to get so defensive if there is no self to defend? Do I need to let others get to me and push my buttons so easily? Do I need to be so competitive? Can I see the oneness that I share with other beings and nature? There is a letting go that can happen with less attachment to the self. Being mindful of this attachment can make us more comfortable with the idea of change, uncertainty, and impermanence, and help us to live more in the present moment. See more

Welcome to Sandy Amodio Counselling Services. I am a Registered Social Worker with a Masters Degree in Counselling, and offer individual and family counselling in addition to group facilitation. I have recently moved my family practice from Milton into Burlington and am looking to help the individuals within the community. I truly believe that counseling should be accessible to all and therefore I have adjusted my rates to be at 1/2 of the standard fee and bill at $60 / ho...ur. One of my preferred approaches is to use Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. This approach works very well for individuals struggling with Anxiety and/or Depression. For more information please go to my website at www.sandyamodio.ca. I'd love to meet with you to hear your story and offer support.