 With summer's arrival, my thoughts turn towards my annual change in schedule for the summer months.
I like to refer to this change in office hours as the time where I can focus on recharging my own internal solar batteries! This is one part of the self-care that supports my work in supporting others. Thank you for your understanding, please note that regular office hours will resume this fall. Summer Office Hours: Tuesdays: 12:30pm - 6:30pm Wednesdays: 9:00am - 2:30pm Thursdays: 10:30am - 4:30pm Sending positive summer vibes out to all clients (current, future and past) and wishing you wellness and peace as we step into summer! ~With kind regards, Leanne
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Tis the Spring Season and nature's ongoing visual reminder of regeneration, growth, and renewal is out in full bloom! Taking time in our daily schedule to visit a shoreline (lake, ocean, river) or to walk along a forested trail, to sit on a bench in one of the many parks, can positively support our own system's renewal, centering and grounding.
If you are able to access any of these environments, consider what it would be like to slow your system down where you can become really present in the moment. One way to invite mindful presence is to hone your observational skills. This can be done by bringing with a small sketchbook and creating small drawings, another option is to use photography and take close up photos of different natural elements that you notice. Ask yourself questions to really "see" the natural place and space that you have chosen to visit: Example questions: 1) How many different colours do I see? 2) How many textures could I touch? 3) What sounds do I hear? 4) What does the temperature feel like (sun or shade?) 5) What do I see when I look upwards, or down towards my feet. 7) What do I notice in terms of scent? Try to look at your surroundings with a "beginner's eye" ~ invite curiosity!  I am very pleased to write this post to share the following news!
On Friday, December 20th 2024, the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) sent notification to the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (and subsequently to all Registered Clinical Counsellors in the Province of British Columbia) to discontinue charging GST for counselling services, effective immediately! The BCACC has been advocating on the behalf of BC residents to have the GST removed from counselling services, since the Federal Government made the move to remove the GST from the Provinces with Regulated Colleges of Psychotherapists back in June 2024. The reason British Columbia was not included in the initial decision is due to the fact that the Regulated College of Psychotherapists in BC is currently in process of being formed. The "in process" is key here as counselling will soon be a regulated profession in British Columbia with a College of Psychotherapy. It is from the support of the College of Registered Psychotherapists in Ontario (CRPO) writing a letter to the CRA stating that those that hold a current (and in good standing) membership with the BCACC as a Registered Clinical Counsellor holds the equivalency to those who hold registration with the CRPO. (Yes I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor in Good Standing)! One area that is a bit complicated is that the Canadian Revenue Agency determined that the removal of the GST is to be back-dated to June 20th, 2024 (the time those providing counselling services in the Regulated Provinces were directed to stop charging GST). At that time Registered Clinical Counsellors in the Province of British Columbia were advised to continue charging the GST, while the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors began the work of advocating for the citizens of British Columbia (to join others across Canada who no longer had to pay GST for counselling services). I recognize that this raises questions about the payments that included GST during the time between June 20th and December 20th of 2024. All GST collected for 2024 has been submitted to the CRA. The advice that we have received is to provide the link for individuals who wish to recover the GST paid for counselling services between June 20th and December 20th 2024 by filing a Form 189 (which is an application for a GST rebate). The link at the bottom of this post will take you to the CRA page for the Form 189. I appreciate that there may be individuals who find filling out forms to be challenging. I would gently guide you to seek the support of your accountant or reach out to the CRA and request support with this process. www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/gst189.html  With spring blossoms you will find me immersing myself into the colourful display of blossoms on trees, bushes and the spring flowers emerging from bulbs and roots! (A bonus is when they smell as good as they look!)
My camera is usually close at hand and I admittedly begin by taking more than likely the same macro-photos that I take every year! What I want to offer to you is that this process of taking yearly flower photos is more than what one might assume is my building a collection of images. My end goal is much more than that. The camera is used to retrain my eyes to look closely, to slow my breathing (you cannot take clear photos if you are not still). Ultimately this process is to remind myself to be observant. After a few photos, I purposefully tuck the camera away. At this point I have begun to look at the natural environment in a different way through my own eyes. I would invite you to try this! Begin with the assistance of a camera, get close to your subject matter (I mean really, really close), slow your breathing and begin to take photos. Review these initial shots and ask yourself if you can possibly get closer? At some point (after several photos) set the camera aside. What do you notice? Are you finding yourself more observant? I would love to hear about your experience!  I must admit I admire plants that grow in unusual locations! When I find a plant thriving
(like this little violet found in a gravel pathway) it becomes a visual reminder about cultivating adaptability as resiliency and determination. Did you know: Violets are a symbol of faith, mystical awareness and inspiration? The colour violet is linked to: wisdom, creativity, power and ambition. The flower itself is high in vitamin C (we see these little flowers in salads). There are hundreds of different species of violets! And just to add a little more to the "did you know".... Violets are known to have what is described as an "elusive smell". Violets have a lovely scent that goes away after one sniff! This is due to the flower having a chemical called ionine, this desensitizes the nose and sense of smell temporarily! If you find that you would like to explore how to cultivate your capacity for adaptability, resiliency and self-determination, please reach out to book a session! Enjoy the flowers of June everyone! In peace and light ~ Leanne  We are told that it is beneficial for our eyes to have breaks from viewing objects up close, (taking breaks from looking at a computer screen is a good example) and to stretch our vision by looking somewhere off into the distance.
This fresh perspective is also true and useful in our personal and professional relationships. When faced with challenging circumstances it can be helpful to switch how we are viewing the situation. Allowing ourselves the opportunity to have a new perspective creates space for idea generating and solution finding. Giving a bit of distance, "taking a bird's eye view" doesn't mean that you are running away from the issue at hand, rather that bit of metaphoric distance can actually promote self-care and ensures that you are including yourself in the equation. If you find yourself struggling with a situation that you would benefit from a fresh perspective and would like support with this process, counselling can be a very supportive approach. You can find my contact information on the contact page of my website or follow the link below! In kindness and light ~Leanne  Have you ever felt like there isn't enough hours in the day to do everything that you would like to accomplish?
You might be feeling burned out from having too much on your "to do" list (a list that seems to grow by the minute)! I remember working with students who were struggling with time management and our sitting together and creating an agenda that captured ALL of their daily "to dos" and expanded that to all days in the week. This was a great way for students to quickly see if they had balance in their lives or whether there were some areas requiring more time and energy. I'm currently taking a course and one of the actions that we are to complete is this very same activity of having a visual accounting of our daily and weekly schedules. And yes, I had an "Ah Ha!" moment and find that I am now very aware of several areas that I need to create more time for and effectively create an even better balance in my life (a pre-emptive burnout measure)! Even if you feel that you have balance in your life and a good concept of your daily and weekly schedule, I would invite you to try this activity! There are plenty of blank schedule templates to be found online, and/or you can create your own on a blank piece of paper. I would suggest blocking your awake time in hourly increments and be as in depth as you can with your daily activities, (for example if you like to have a leisurely one hour breakfast each day, be sure to block off that time AND include the time for prep and clean up!).... you may be surprised at what you discover about your daily and weekly routine! The other beautiful part of this is that it truly is a quick eye-opener about whether you are gifting yourself time for the activities (and connections with others) that fill up your cup! Let me know if you try this activity and if you made a discovery!  Hello September!
I will readily admit that autumn and fall are my favorite seasons of the year! For me the warm days and the cooler nights are a perfect combination mixed in with the bounty of goodies from the garden and farm markets! My energy increases at this time of year as I typically tackle a fall cleaning spree (versus the spring cleaning that many like to do) and I begin to make jams, can fruits and process food for the colder days of winter. (I love to be able to gift a jar of sunshine in the form of canned peaches during the colder days of winter)! It's interesting though for as jazzed up that I get about autumn and fall, for many this is a season that they truly do not look forward to. The shorter days, gardens that are finishing their growing season are reminders of the colder months ahead. So my question to pose to those who are not fans of Septembers arrival is this: "Are there ways that you can bring elements of what you enjoy from the warm summer months forward into this new season?" I'm curious as to the creative ways that individuals may find to answer this question. Wishing all of you peace and light ~ Leanne  The weather has been hot this August!
For those who are fortunate to find themselves cooling off at a lake, a river or down at the seashore.... Enjoy! We have all listened to news reports of the studies sharing how the impact of prolonged exposure to extreme heat is dangerous and for many, life threatening. To those who are working and to those who do not have the ability to cool off at a local water source, please feel free to share the ways you are managing to be cool and protected from the sun! (Let's share those ideas!) Most communities have opened cooling centers for those who are needing this extra support to manage this prolonged heat wave. To find out if your community has a cooling centre contact your local radio station or community centre. We all know that water holds the elixir of life, it rejuvenates, sustains and nurtures life on our planet. Did you know that keeping yourself hydrated with water also supports brain health? By drinking water you can improve brain function, which in turn supports your mental well being and ability towards mood regulation. So I would heartily encourage you to drink water throughout the day, and a big shout out to all who use refillable water bottles! Considering that we have a finite water source on this planet we all need to do our part to protect all natural water resources! Here's a fun fact to end on.... ready? The water that we have access to for drinking water is the same water that the dinosaurs had access to for their drinking water!! Wow!! Stay cool, stay hydrated, stay safe. Namaste my beautiful beings! |
