Flourishing Seeds Wellness

06/24/2026

It is a very common trap that we as humans fall into. We assign meaning based on what we see on the outside filtered through our own experiences. But here is the thing….everyone is uniquely different and has their own experiences that they have or have not gone through that shape where they are in any particular moment, and we all learn, change, and grow (or not) at our own pace in our own divine timing.

So how does this show up? Well, it shows up as assumption and judgement, and the problem with this is that assumption and judgement create a story instead of understanding, and feeling misunderstood can be extremely painful as it has us feeling unseen, unknown and unaccepted within our own truth. Assumption and judgement can thwart emotional safety and can instead create emotional suffering, which can harm and damage our relationships even when our intention is to help the other person.

One of the greatest gifts we can offer another person isn’t unsolicited advice or solutions, it’s curiosity and understanding.

People often assume they can measure someone else’s growth from what they can see, but growth is one of the most misunderstood parts of being human because it happens beneath the surface. We see someone’s choices, emotions, setbacks, or circumstances and decide how far they have come, how far they still have to go, or even what they are not thinking about. We mistake the visible for the whole story. But growth is rarely something that can be observed from the outside. Sometimes it is setting a boundary that has been left open for far too long and sometimes it is learning to lower a boundary. Sometimes it is leaving a relationship and sometimes it is choosing to stay in one. Sometimes it is laughing again after believing joy would never return, and sometimes it is crying after years of believing tears show weakness. The same outward behaviour can represent entirely different journeys depending on the person living it, and when we outwardly judge that, we might unintentionally hinder the other persons growth by creating more confusion.

So perhaps the greatest shift we can make is not trying to become better at reading people, but in becoming better at remaining curious about them. Instead of assuming we know what someone is thinking, feeling, or needing, (even when we are SURE of it), we can pause long enough to ask. Instead of judging what we see, we can make room for the possibility that there is a story we have not yet learned or even been invited into. We don’t need to have all the answers to offer someone the gift of feeling seen. Often our willingness to listen with an open heart and mind is enough.

The next time you find yourself tempted to fill in the blanks, consider replacing assumption with curiosity and judgement with compassion. You may never know the invisible battles someone has fought, the courage it took to get where they are today, or the private victories they are celebrating beneath the surface. Every person is carrying a story that extends far beyond what we can see. When we choose understanding over certainty, we create space for trust, healing, and genuine connection. And perhaps in offering that gift to tohers, we also learn to extend that same grace to ourselves.

05/27/2026

I wrote this piece because I have seen firsthand how much our loved ones are left carrying when illness, incapacity, or death enters our lives. Beyond the grief itself, there are often countless decisions, responsibilities, unanswered questions, and practical realities to navigate during some of the hardest moments people will ever face. Although these conversations can feel uncomfortable, putting our affairs in order and communicating our wishes is one of the most meaningful ways we can continue caring for the people we love. This blog explores wills, personal directives, advance care planning, power of attorney, and the importance of having the conversations many of us avoid - not from fear, but from love, clarity, and consideration for those who may one day need to navigate our absence.

David Kessler

As I sit here staring at my computer screen with so much to say, I find myself noticing some significant hesitation. It is not the subject itself that has me hesitate, but the importance I feel in what I want to share and wanting it to be written in a way that it might be heard in a different way. I...

05/20/2026

I saw this illustration and felt the need to share.

The language we use matters tremendously. Both words and tone do far more than communicate information - they communicate emotion, intention, safety, and connection. In relationships, especially during moments of frustration or hurt, people are often not just reacting to the issue itself, but to how the message feels when it reaches them. Accusing language tends to place blame and create defensiveness. When someone hears "you always..." or "you make me feel...", their nervous system can quickly move into protection mode. Instead of hearing the deeper emotion and message underneath, they often hear criticism, rejection, or attack, which moves us from trying to understand each other to defending ourselves and our positions....sometimes even leading us to dig in our heals and/or close down.

Assertive language, on the other hand, creates space for honesty without shame or punishment. It allows us to express our feelings and needs while still respecting the other person's humanity. Statements like "I felt hurt" or "I feel disconnected" invite vulnerability and understanding rather than conflict. They gently shift the focus from blaming someone else to sharing our internal experience. This kind of communication often lowers emotional walls because it feels less threatening and more relational. It says "I want you to understand me", rather than "I want you to feel guilty".

What is so powerful about assertive communication is that it encourages emotional responsibility. Instead of placing ownership of our emotions entirely onto another person, we learn to identify and express what is happening inside us. That does not mean people are not accountable for harmful behaviour, they absolutely are, but the way we communicate about our hurts can either deepen disconnection or create an opportunity for repair. When people feel emotionally safe, they are far more likely to listen, empathize and respond with care. They also tend to be much more willing to share as things come up, rather than creating piles of resentment.

There is also something essential and compassionate about learning this type of language. Many people were never taught how to communicate needs in a healthy way. Some grew up in environments where anger, silence, criticism, or avoidance were the only forms of communication they witnessed. Assertive language can feel unfamiliar at first because vulnerability itself can feel risky. But over time, learning to speak from a place of clarity, ownership, and kindness can transform relationships. Not because conflict disappears, but because people begin approaching each other with less blame and more understanding.

When we learn to speak from those deeper places, those crucial conversations become softer, more honest, and pave way to stronger and healthier relationships.

05/07/2026

The first title for this blog was going to be "Meaning-Making, Are You F$%ckng Kidding Me?!?!? But then I remembered that although I was writing this from a very personal standpoint, it was going on my professional website.

Meaning-Making has been added as a common stage of grief for people to go through after a loss, but in the midst of grief that concept can feel both confusing as well as unattainable.

This is a personal reflective on what it might look like if and when that time is ever right for you.

As a grief educator, I talk about grief with clients, colleagues, friends, and peers on pretty well a daily basis. Talking about it from a personal perspective is a much different beast but sometimes noticing it through the lens of both together can create a huge impact. We have all heard that there...

05/06/2026

Many of us have been taught to try and control everything around us, but there is a type of strength that doesn't look like control at all. Instead, it is learning to soften our grip when things don't go the way we hoped. It's noticing the flooding of emotions in our bodies and minds and choosing not to let it carry us somewhere we don't really want to go. It's the slow and sometimes uncomfortable practice of coming back to ourselves to make things better when we feel disappointed or when things feel uncertain. Not because it is easy, but because that is where steadiness lies, and steadiness matters more than outcome ever could.

That is the real shift. Realizing that peace is never something to chase out there, it's something we do within. It is the way we look at things and speak to ourselves when things fall apart. It is the meaning we give to those day to day moments of disappointment. It is choosing to stay rooted in who we are, even when (especially when) everything around us feels uncertain or we experience "those against". Understanding the power of that is where true freedom lies.

04/22/2026

As a Counselling Therapist, I've seen how powerful and freeing it can be when someone begins to truly understand themselves. Not just what they do, but why they do it. So many of our reactions, patterns, and emotional responses are shaped by our past experiences, unmet needs, and protective strategies that we've learned along the way. When we begin bringing awareness to those parts of ourselves, we stop judging ourselves so harshly and start responding with more compassion - both towards ourselves and others. Self-awareness doesn't change the past, but it does give us the freedom to make different choices in the present, and that's where the healing begins.

04/15/2026

Some losses are met with meals, messages, and space to grieve, but others slip silently into the background unspoken, unsupported, and often unseen. This is the grief that doesn't get acknowledged, the kind that leaves you carrying it alone wondering if it even counts. IT DOES!

My latest blog piece explores what is known as disenfranchised grief. That grief that is not recognized, understood or validated by others, even though it's deeply real and impactful.

If you've ever felt like your pain didn't have a place, this is for you.

David Kessler

There are those kinds of losses that are met with care.People show up, meals are dropped off, and messages come in. There's space, however imperfect that space is, for the pain to exist.Then there are those losses that don't get that same acknowledgement, instead they go unsupported, unnamed, and un...

04/14/2026

Often, the hardest part of being hurt by someone isn't just what happened, but the meaning we start to make of it about ourselves.

Human instinct tends to take in how someone treats us and turn it into a reflection of our own worth. When someone is distant, critical, or unable to show up in the ways that we need, it can have us wondering "what is wrong with me." But more often than not, their behaviour is shaped by their own internal world...their capacity for emotion, their past experience, and how deeply they understand themselves. The way they respond to you is a reflection of what they are able to give, and how they see the world, not a measure of what you deserve.

Self-worth is the steady belief that you matter, simply because you are you. It isn't something you have to earn through being perfect, accommodating, or "enough" for others. It is the ongoing process of coming back to yourself and seeing your value, even when it is hard. It grows when you begin to treat yourself with the same care and understanding you might offer someone you love. It grows from understanding and listening to your own needs, through honouring your boundaries, and through gently challenging the stories that you tell yourself about not being enough.

Emotional capacity is part of what shapes how someone shows up in relationships. It's their ability to sit with feelings, communicate openly, take responsibility, and consider another person's experience. Not everyone has had the opportunity or the support to develop this is a full way. When someone lacks this capacity, it can show up as avoidance, defensiveness, or inconsistency. Understanding this dos NOT excuse hurtful behaviour, but it can help soften the tendency to personalize it. It creates a bit of space between who you are and what you are receiving.

Holding onto this distinction can be deeply protective. It allows you to stay rooted in your own worth, even when someone else can't meet you where you are.

04/07/2026

Not everything we feel is incidental, and not everything we do in hard moments is a "choice". They are automatic reactions, and often have more to do with our past experiences than what is happening in the present.

So many of our emotional reactions have names, patterns, and roots in how we've learned to stay safe in relationships. When we understand things like emotional flooding, fawning, or hyper vigilance, something powerful happens - shame softens, compassion begins, defences go down, and our nervous system relaxes, allowing us to notice and approach things differently.

This isn't about labeling ourselves, it's about making sense of our experiences so we can respond, rather than just react. Noticing and understanding these patterns is just one of the many benefits of counselling.

We can't change what we don't notice and understand.

https://www.flourishingseedswellness.com

04/01/2026

Our reactions are not random, and they are not flaws. They are adaptations that helped us cope, belong, stay safe, or make sense of what felt overwhelming. But the challenge is the what once protected us can begin to limit us.

The real invitation here is not to judge these parts of ourselves, but to get curious about them. What is this feeling trying to do for me? What might be underneath it? When we shift from self-criticism to self-understanding we create space for change that is compassionate rather than forced.

Growth doesn't come from shaming the ways we learned to survive, it comes from understanding them, honouring them, and gently asking if they still fit the life we are trying to build.