The Gift of Presence: How to Stay Grounded and Mindful this Season

As the season fills with gatherings, gift-giving, and an ever-growing to-do list, it’s easy to get swept into a rhythm of rushing. Many people find themselves moving from one obligation to the next without ever pausing to notice how they feel or what they truly need. At Mountain Brow Counselling, we often remind clients that one of the most meaningful gifts you can offer—both to yourself and those around you—is presence.

Presence is the practice of being fully engaged in the moment. It allows you to savour joy when it appears, navigate stress with steadier footing, and connect more authentically with the people who matter most. Here’s how to cultivate it during a season that often pulls us in many directions.

Navigating Grief During the Holidays - A Heartfelt Message for Moms

The holidays are often painted as a season of joy—twinkling lights, warm gatherings, family traditions, and magical memories. But for many moms, this time of year also brings a different, quieter companion: grief.

Whether you’re mourning the loss of a loved one, grieving a relationship that has changed, or holding space for dreams that didn’t unfold the way you hoped, the holidays can feel like an emotional tug-of-war. You’re trying to create happiness for your family while carrying a weight that others may not see.

How Childhood Trauma Impacts Adult Relationships, and What Can Help

Childhood experiences shape the way we see ourselves, others, and the world. When those early experiences include trauma—such as neglect, abuse, inconsistent caregiving, or chronic stress—the effects can echo throughout adulthood, especially in relationships. Many adults find themselves repeating painful patterns without fully understanding why. The good news: healing is possible, and approaches like EMDR therapy and the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) offer powerful ways to create lasting change.

When the Days Get Shorter: Coping with Seasonal Depression as a Stay-at-Home Mom

As the days grow shorter and the air turns cold, many of us feel that familiar heaviness creep in — the sluggish mornings, the lack of motivation, the urge to curl up and do nothing. If you’re a mom who stays home with your kids, that heaviness can hit even harder. Between endless snack requests, piles of laundry, and the isolation that often comes with motherhood, seasonal depression (also called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD) can make daily life feel overwhelming.

But here’s the truth: you’re not lazy, you’re not failing, and you’re not alone. Seasonal depression is real, and it’s something many moms silently face each year.

Managing Burnout: How to Reclaim Energy and Purpose

Burnout has become a quiet epidemic in our fast-paced world. It’s more than just being tired — it’s the deep exhaustion that seeps into your motivation, creativity, and sense of self. Whether it shows up as emotional fatigue, constant stress, or a sense of “what’s the point,” burnout can make even the simplest tasks feel impossible.

The good news? Burnout isn’t permanent. With awareness and intentional recovery, you can find balance again.

Why Your Therapist Keeps Telling You to “Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body”

If you’ve ever heard your therapist say something like “Try to notice what’s happening in your body right now,” or “Let’s take a breath and drop into the body,” you might have wondered - why do they keep saying that?

It’s not because your therapist wants you to become a yoga instructor or a master of meditation. It’s because one of the most powerful ways to calm your nervous system and access real clarity is by reconnecting with your body. At Mountain Brow Counselling, many of our therapists are somatically trained - often called bottom-up therapists. As such, we will often emphasize the mind-body connection as a key part of helping you move forward in a deeper, more sustainable way.

Breaking the Silence: Misconceptions About Therapy and the Stigma That Still Exists

Despite growing awareness around mental health, therapy is still surrounded by stigma and misconceptions. For many, the idea of seeing a therapist feels like admitting defeat, weakness, or even failure. But these beliefs are not only outdated, they're harmful.

Thinking About Couples Therapy? Here’s What You Need to Know

If you and your partner are thinking about starting couples therapy, first of all, you’re not alone. And second, you're not failing. In fact, you're doing something incredibly brave and healthy: choosing to work on your relationship, not just in it.

Whether you’ve been together for a few months or a few decades, every relationship faces challenges. Communication issues, conflict patterns, emotional distance, trust concerns, life transitions — these are common experiences in relationships, not signs of doom. Couples therapy isn’t just for relationships in crisis; it can also be a proactive, growth-focused step toward deeper understanding and connection.