I’m drowning in emotions. What’s wrong with me?

Alex is now having mild anxiety attacks and doesn’t know what to. When I spoke with Alex (name changed for privacy), she was struggling with managing what feels like a daily tidal wave of emotions that’s manifesting into anxiety. The kind where Alex feels safer being alone in her room trying to cope with it […]

‘I don’t need your help’

How often do you do this with your teen? You see them doing something that logically you know they could get hurt, emotionally, physically, whatever. You go to reach out to them with help, and they don’t want it. In that moment, you feel hurt and rejected, and maybe you internalize it, or maybe you […]

‘I know you better than you know yourself’

STOP! You will never know what your child is thinking or feeling because you’re not them. I know you love your teen and you want the very best for them. And it’s really hard to watch them struggle. Here’s the thing. When you constantly tell them that you know them better than they know themselves, […]

2020 – The Gift in Sandpaper

I hope you and your family enjoyed Christmas together, making the most of our current situation. Thankfully we’ve just passed the shortest day in the longest year in history, so we’re on our way to brighter days. Read to the end and I’ll share my secret for putting Christmas gifts away! But first, here’s a […]

Traditions Are What You Make Them

It’s the turkey factor. Christmas isn’t Christmas without turkey dinner, right? Truth be told I’ve never made a turkey dinner and using an oven for that many dishes that all need to be ready at the same time boggles my brain. It’s not even my favourite meal. You want a Thai coconut curry veggie dish, […]

3 Things Your Teen Wishes You Knew

Here are three things that your teenager wishes you knew. They can’t always clearly describe what it is they’re feeling or thinking, even though it’s coming out of them and maybe driving you crazy. Validate them, don’t make them wrong for it. They really are doing their best and it drives them crazy too! Stop […]

A Recipe for Conflict

This past weekend I was at a sports tournament with my son. Unfortunately, it was one of the worst tournaments I’ve been to as a parent. Not because of the players or refs, wining or loosing, there was no drunken brawl between parents or bench clearing fight, or parents yelling and swearing at officials (I […]

My Name is Aly and I’m a Hugger

Hugging isn’t just something I love to do, it’s part of my brand. My primary love language is touch and hugging is how I constructively (not in a creepy way!) meet that need within my family, friends, colleagues and clients. As technology allows us to live more and more in virtual relationships without ever needing […]

The Dream:Do Ratio

I’ve been learning a thing or two over the last two weeks after deciding to create a new website and offering based on some important shifts I’ve had in my thinking. Those include how much I’m capable of writing (my least favorite thing) and accomplishing in a day, and how energized I can feel with […]