Who Are You Happiness?

By Kat Giles BSW, MSW, RSW | September 20th

Happiness is an emotion that we don’t typically examine in a counselling session. Even though it is a well-researched topic, I don’t often talk about it with clients. Why? My theory is that we identify happiness as a desirable feeling and many people come to talk only about feelings they think are undesirable.

Our current blog series is called “Who Are You Emotion?” We have been talking about how to externalize our emotions and understand what our emotions are communicating to us. I hope that by the end of reading this series, you are deeply convinced that all your emotions are good.

Happiness might seem like a strange emotion to look at, but it is just as important for us to examine it as it is to examine any other emotions we feel. Understanding happiness helps us understand our other emotions better. When I am cooking, I understand sour flavours better because I understand sweet flavours. Similarly, I can understand anger better because I understand happiness.

What does your happiness look like? We have been learning to externalize our emotions in this series. If your happiness was a person or object, what would it look like? What colour would it be? Where does happiness come into your life? What things make you feel happy? When are moments that you feel happiest?

Our second goal in this series is to understand what emotions are saying to us. What does happiness say to you? Happiness – or the derivatives of happiness such as joy, peace and calm – is trying to say, “It’s all good” or “Everything is all right”.

When we understand what happiness communicates to us and identify the moments when we feel happiness, we can better respond to our other emotions. Happiness is an emotion that we all want to feel more of. Knowing what puts me in my “Everything is all right” mode can help me choose the strategies that I use to regulate my emotions. For instance, I feel happy when I’m outside hiking a trail, surrounded by trees. So, when feeling [anxious, angry, etc], I often can regulate my emotions by going out for a hike.

What makes you feel happy?

What is Trauma?

November 29th

What is Trauma?

By Candice Chiu, M.Ed Counselling and Psychotherapy, RP {Qualifying}

What pops into your mind when you hear the word trauma?

Perhaps you see a violent battlefield during wartime. Or you may be visualizing a major plane crash. Maybe it’s a weapon being pointed directly at you.

If you saw one of the above or anything similar, you’re not alone. Most people think of trauma as a life-threatening experience. These dangerous situations can definitely be traumatic for many. However, if you ask most mental health professionals, they will define trauma differently. Dr. Gabor Maté, a leading specialist in the field of trauma and addiction, says that trauma is, “not what happened to you; it is what happens inside of you as a result of what happens to you”. In other words, trauma is not a situation, but an internal experience.

Six Ways to Regulate

August 16th

Six Ways to Regulate

By Kat Giles BSW, MSW, RSW

In this series, Who Are You Emotions, we have looked at externalizing emotions and understanding what they are communicating to us. Throughout this series you have seen me refer to The Three Rs – Recognize, Regulate, Respond. Let’s look a little closer at the last of the Rs – Regulate.

Who Are You Guilt?

April 18th

Who Are You Guilt?

By Kat Giles BSW, MSW, RSW

I remember a time when I lied to my mom.

It was years ago, and I don’t remember exactly what I lied about, but I do remember lying in my bed with the feeling of guilt overwhelming me, keeping me awake. Unable to sleep, I slowly walked downstairs to confess what I had done.

A lot of us have an experience of guilt overwhelming us. Like my story above, we often don’t recall the exact events, but we clearly remember the emotions and feelings we experienced around the event. Like our other blogs in this series, let’s look at ways to recognize, regulate and respond to this emotion when we do experience it.