Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.

08/06/2026

💍 Wedding season is filled with beautiful celebrations, but the real journey begins after the big day.

In this week's blog, Rose Degenhardt reflects on a family bridal shower and explores what lasting love, strong communication, and mental wellness have in common. Healthy marriages aren't built on perfect weddings—they're built through intention, partnership, and choosing each other every day.

Whether you're newly engaged, married for years, or simply interested in building stronger relationships, this blog offers valuable insights into love, commitment, and the importance of caring for both your relationship and your mental health.

✨ Read "Taylor's Last Rodeo: What Wedding Season Teaches Us About Love, Mental Health, and Marriage" on our blog today!

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCCRegistered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & TherapyInc.Posted: August 6, 2026Wedding Season and New BeginningsOn August 1st, I had the privilege of attending and helping organize my soon-to-be daughter-in-law Taylor's bridal s...

08/04/2026

🌿 Welcome Back, Maggie! 🌿

We are so excited to welcome Maggie back to the Venture Counselling & Therapy team! 💚

Maggie believes that every person has the capacity for growth, healing, and resilience. Her warm, compassionate, and person-centred approach creates a safe, supportive space where clients feel heard, understood, and empowered to make meaningful change at their own pace.

With specialized training in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and EMDR, Maggie supports individuals experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation challenges, stress, and life transitions. She also has experience working with veterans and first responders, understanding the unique challenges that can come with serving others.

📅 Now accepting new clients beginning in August!
🕔 Thursday & Friday evenings

If you’re ready to take the next step in your healing journey, Maggie is here to walk alongside you. 💚

📞 Contact us today to book your appointment!

07/31/2026

📦✨ One Month Until Moving Day! ✨📦

The countdown is on! In just one month, Venture Counselling & Therapy will be settling into our new home.

📍 Effective August 31st, you can find us at:

30 Damascus Rd, Suite 202
Bedford, NS B4C 0C1

We can’t wait to welcome both new and returning clients into our beautiful new space while continuing to provide the compassionate care you know and trust.

💚 Please help us spread the word! Share this post so friends, family, current clients, and anyone new to our community knows where to find us. Your support means so much, and it helps ensure no one misses the announcement.

07/30/2026

Healing doesn't come from just one way of knowing. 🌿

Our newest blog explores the Mi'kmaw concept of Two-Eyed Seeing (Etuaptmumk) and how bringing together Indigenous wisdom and Western approaches can deepen our understanding of mental wellness. From the importance of connection and community to the healing power of the land, this reflection invites us to approach one another with curiosity, humility, and respect.

Read the full blog and discover how seeing through more than one lens can strengthen healing—for ourselves and each other. 💙

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCCRegistered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.Posted: July 30, 2026Learning from the Land, Learning from Each OtherAs a therapist practicing in Nova Scotia, I have the privilege of working alongside individualsand fa...

07/29/2026

🎉 Happy 2-Year Venture Anniversary, Naomi! 🎉

Today we’re celebrating someone who is truly the heart of Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc.

If you’ve ever called our clinic, sent us an email, or reached out to book an appointment, chances are you’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Naomi. She is the friendly voice on the phone, the welcoming first point of contact, and the incredible administrator who keeps everything running behind the scenes.

To our team, Naomi is so much more than an administrator—she is the glue that holds us together. Her dedication, compassion, organization, and genuine care for our clients, our community, and our staff make an immeasurable difference every single day. She works tirelessly to ensure our clinicians can focus on what they do best while making every client feel heard, valued, and supported from their very first interaction.

Venture simply wouldn’t be where it is today without her. We are beyond grateful for the love, commitment, and heart she brings to our clinic every day.

Naomi, thank you for an incredible two years. We love you, we appreciate you, and we are so lucky to have you as part of the Venture family. Here’s to many more years together! 💙

Help us congratulate Naomi on her 2-year anniversary in the comments! 👏🎉

07/29/2026

“Sometimes you’ve just gotta chuck it in the f*ck it bucket.”

Yep… I said it.

It’s a phrase I use in therapy from time to time, and while it usually gets a laugh, there’s actually a lot of psychology behind it.

Here’s what I mean:

Ask yourself…
Is this something I can actually control?
Will this matter next week? Next month? Next year?
Is this worth sacrificing my peace over?

If the answer is no, maybe it belongs in the bucket.

That doesn’t mean your feelings aren’t valid. It doesn’t mean you ignore hard things or pretend they don’t hurt.

It simply means we stop giving our time, energy, and emotional space to things that don’t deserve to run our lives.

Not every comment needs a response.
Not every mistake needs replaying.
Not every opinion about you deserves your attention.

Protect your peace. Choose your battles. Save your emotional energy for what truly matters.

So today, ask yourself:

What can you chuck in the bucket and leave there?

Therapy isn’t about avoiding emotions. It’s about learning which ones deserve your energy—and which ones don’t.

07/27/2026

Anxiety doesn’t have a single face—and it doesn’t affect everyone the same way.

For children, it may show up through behaviours. For teens, it can hide behind perfectionism or withdrawal. For adults, it often becomes chronic stress, overthinking, or feeling like you’re constantly in survival mode.

No matter your age, anxiety is real, and support is available.

At Venture Counselling & Therapy, we provide a safe, compassionate space for children, teens, and adults to better understand their anxiety, develop practical coping strategies, and build confidence in navigating life’s challenges.

If you or someone you love is struggling with anxiety, you don’t have to face it alone. Reaching out for support is a courageous first step—and we’re here to help.

💚 Swipe through to learn how anxiety can present at different stages of life.

07/24/2026

Diagnosis doesn’t define your child’s destiny. 💙

A diagnosis is not a limitation—it’s information. Whether your child has ADHD, autism, a learning difference, or another form of neurodivergence, it simply helps us better understand how their brain works, not what they are capable of achieving.

Every neurodivergent child has unique strengths, talents, and ways of experiencing the world. With the right support, understanding, and encouragement, they can build confidence, develop meaningful relationships, and thrive in school, work, and everyday life.

And it’s important to remember that neurodivergence doesn’t end in childhood. Many adults are only now discovering that they’ve been living with ADHD, autism, or other forms of neurodivergence their entire lives. Receiving a diagnosis later in life can bring clarity, self-compassion, and a better understanding of past experiences.

Therapy isn’t about changing who someone is—it’s about providing tools and support that honour the way their brain works. Therapy can help children and adults:
🌿 Build emotional regulation skills
🌿 Develop healthy coping strategies
🌿 Improve communication and relationships
🌿 Navigate anxiety, stress, and burnout
🌿 Strengthen self-esteem and confidence
🌿 Embrace their unique strengths

At Venture Counselling & Therapy, we believe every person deserves to be seen, understood, and supported for who they are. Neurodivergence is not something to “fix”—it’s a different way of experiencing the world, and with the right support, every individual can flourish.

💚 Your diagnosis is part of your story, but it never gets to write the ending.

07/23/2026

🌦️ Can the Weather Affect Your Mood? The Answer is Yes.

If you’ve been living in Nova Scotia lately, you’ve probably noticed we’ve had a little bit of everything—sunshine, rain, fog, humidity, and then back to sunshine again. It can feel like we’re experiencing all four seasons in a single day!

Rose’s fiancé, Justin MacKinnon, who is an Certified Engineering Technologist, was recently explaining to me how barometric pressure changes can affect the human body. It sparked an interesting conversation about how weather doesn’t just impact the outdoors—it can influence how we feel emotionally, too.

When barometric pressure changes rapidly, some people notice:
☁️ Feeling more tired or sluggish
🧠 Difficulty concentrating (“brain fog”)
😟 Increased anxiety or irritability
😔 Lower mood or feeling emotionally “off”
🤕 Headaches or increased body aches

While weather isn’t the sole cause of anxiety or depression, it can absolutely influence symptoms for some individuals. Less sunlight can affect serotonin and melatonin, changes in routine can impact our mental health, and fluctuating pressure may contribute to physical discomfort that affects our overall mood.

If you’ve been feeling “not quite yourself” lately, take a moment to check in with yourself:
💙 Get outside when the sun appears—even 10–15 minutes can help.
💙 Stay hydrated.
💙 Keep a consistent sleep routine.
💙 Continue moving your body, even if it’s just a short walk.
💙 Be gentle with yourself during periods of unpredictable weather.

Remember, your mental health is influenced by many factors—including the environment around you. Sometimes understanding why you’re feeling differently can help you respond with more compassion toward yourself.

Have you noticed your mood changes when the weather changes? We’d love to hear your experience in the comments.

07/23/2026

There’s a reason so many of us feel calmer by the ocean, a lake, or a river. 🌊💙

This week on the Venture Counselling & Therapy blog, Rose Degenhardt explores the mental health benefits of Blue Space—how spending time near water can help reduce stress, regulate your nervous system, and create space for clarity and healing.

Whether it's a walk along the shore, sitting by a lake, or simply listening to the sound of waves, nature has a powerful way of helping us slow down and reconnect with ourselves.

✨ Read the full blog to discover why water may be one of the simplest forms of self-care.

💬 We'd love to hear from you: Where is your favorite place near the water, and how does it make you feel?

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCCRegistered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & TherapyInc.Posted: July 23, 2026Drawn to the WaterHave you ever noticed how your shoulders seem to relax when you arrive at the ocean?Or how sitting beside a lake feels different tha...