There seems to be this perception of what counselling looks like. Thanks to the movies, likely! The client is sitting on a leather couch with their feet up, the counsellor sitting on a tall wingback chair with a clipboard making notes and asking the question, “How do you feel about that?”.

I won’t be the first to tell you that our bodies and mind are better off with movement, and I won’t be the last either. Since years ago parents would encourage their kids outside to play and run and though exercise was not always as widely spoken about, the benefits have been highlighted for decades.

Sitting face to face is not the only way to do therapy. We aren’t created equal and we all bring something different with us, along with a different comfort level. My favorite way to work with clients is often through movement.

It can be awkward, I feel that way too (and I am a grief counsellor!)! Sometimes it’s quick as there’s a big line and you’re rushing through, sometimes there is no line, and sometimes the people in front of you have a lot to say so you keep being stalled and waiting long after you feel you’ve said your part. 

*Big exhale. You aren’t alone. Caregiving is a long-term commitment, and one that most of us don’t sign up for. If you’re an informal caregiver maybe this role has instead landed on your lap. If your feeling burnt out it is important to know it is not a reflection of the love you have for this person or your abilities as a caregiver. In fact, sometimes it is quite the opposite.

Create or attend Rituals: Rituals are an opportunity for those who are grieving to outwardly express grief, alone or with others who are experiencing the same loss. A ritual helps to acknowledge the reality of the death, to express grief and to share an opportunity of remembering the individual who has died. Though in Western society we are often expected to have a funeral shortly after the death, this is only one kind of ritual and many people choose other rituals, shortly a