A few weeks ago, my husband, Aubrey, and I were enjoying a beautiful afternoon at a street festival in Toronto. The sun was shining, the weather was warm, and there was a wonderful sense of joy and community in the air.

There were five different bands performing, outdoor markets, delicious food, an...

Growing up in a Polish family, our Canadian Thanksgiving always had a distinctly Polish flavour.

My mother embraced the holiday, but she always managed to find room on the table for pierogies and sauerkraut. Dessert was usually a Polish apple cake - “szarlotka.” Pumpkin desserts, stuffing and squas...

Last week, I stood beside my mother in the hospital, shocked by what I was seeing. My mother is usually radiant, strong, vibrant, and fiercely independent. Now, she could barely speak, could not stand, and was struggling to stay present with us.

I knew she had been unwell, but I had not understood ...

The Hidden Cost of High Functioning

Over the last several months, I had the privilege of coaching a brilliant, deeply thoughtful woman who, by most external measures, was doing exceptionally well. She was accomplished, capable, generous, intelligent, and highly respected professionally. She had spe...

Supporting your mood, energy, and well-being through winter

We were absolutely pummeled with snow in Toronto this past weekend.

Over 60 centimeters fell in under 12 hours. It was stunning. It looked like a true winter wonderland. Trees bowed under the weight of the snow, and the streets grew quiet a...

A personal story and an invitation to choose a new way to be.

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind.

Not the “busy but manageable” kind of whirlwind.

The life-is-happening-faster-than-I-can-process kind.

The kind that once upon a time would have sent me into a full spiral.

It started w...

How appreciation helps us rise up the emotional scale; backed by research, not woo-woo.

It was Thanksgiving here in Canada this past weekend and I found myself reflecting deeply on gratitude and all that I have to be grateful for.

We spent the weekend at my parents-in-law’s cottage (pictured...

Small Practices For a Steadier September

As I write this, it’s warm and bright. Cicadas hum. My older daughter is stretched out in the backyard with friends - country music on, tanning (ugh), soaking up the last rays of summer. And yet the air already has that September feel. In our house, one g...

This isn’t the message I thought I’d be writing in the middle of summer, but maybe it’s exactly the one that needed to come through.

I’m sick...and not the cozy, stay-in-bed-with-soup kind.

No, I’ve been taken down by a summer cold which feels unnatural, unfair, and frankly, rude.

It started mid-...

Have you ever wondered what makes resilient relationships? Why some deepen through challenge while others fall apart?

The secret isn’t just compatibility or communication. It’s something deeper, more foundational: psychological safety.

It’s that powerful sense of I’m safe to be myself here.

To sp...