Alivia Maric

How fortunate we are to live in a rainforest! Even as I’m sitting at my computer, looking out the window at snow, sleet and grey skies, I’m grateful. Not for the grey skies, but for the trees surrounding us and a climate that allows us to get outside and be active year round. Regular physical…

I recently watched a wonderful documentary, The Barkley Marathons, about an ultra endurance trail race that takes place in the Tennessee mountains.  Only 40 runners are accepted into the race each year.  Covering the entire distance of 160 kilometres (100 miles) or more also requires climbing and descending the equivalent of Mount Everest – twice.  To…

While my soccer team is on Winter hiatus, I have been musing about how much playing a team sport reminds me of relationship building.  What makes relationships strong and what creates challenges are similar for a team, a couple, or a family.  Soccer promotes good sportsmanship as much as good foot skills.  Since taking up…

EMDR has been used and researched for 25 years, and is considered a highly effective therapy for resolving trauma. Nevertheless, it remains somewhat mysterious and misunderstood. Written explanations can become jargon filled very quickly. Visual demonstrations of the process can raise concerns as it looks strange. In an effort to shed some light on the…

Many people don’t like the feeling of being emotionally or physically vulnerable; it can be uncomfortable and very scary. To risk being vulnerable can take considerable courage because it can make us susceptible to being hurt. In therapy, clients often say they don’t want to cry; some clients go so far as to say they…

Weeks, months or even years following a traumatic experience, many victims make statements like: “I just can’t get over it!” “I can’t stop thinking about it.” “I feel numb, like I’m behind a glass wall, cut off from everyone”. “Will I ever feel safe again?” These thoughts also reflect typical aspects or symptoms of Post…