Anuna Therapy

12/14/2023

Being a mom can be challenging and there are many beautiful moments that inadvertently pass by us. Pausing and becoming aware of these moments can help us foster gratitude - an appreciation and acknowledgment of goodness in your life.

Research shows that gratitude can help us feel positive emotions, improve our health, increase our resilience and help us connect with others.

As a Registered Psychotherapist, I encourage my clients to take a moment to be present and notice if there is anything you’re thankful for in the moment. This does wonders for our mental wellness!

What are some things you are grateful for as a mom? Let me know in the comments!

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12/08/2023

If you haven’t read the previous points, go check them out and come back!

The final point is “Missing our old lives”. There is nothing wrong with missing what our lives were before! Looking back on fond memories is healthy and normal. It does not make us bad mothers to long for times when life was simpler. Taking care of an entire tiny human and yourself can be daunting, and when we feel like we’re struggling it’s important to lean on those close to us for support.

What else do you think we shouldn’t be ashamed of as moms? Let me know in the comments!
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11/29/2023

Why choose Anuna Therapy? At Anuna Therapy, we are passionate about providing support to those who are underserved. Our mission is to connect with people during the perinatal stage to increase our understanding of perinatal mental health, break down the stigma, and ensure that people have helpful tools and resources in place for this major life transition. Did you know that Anuna Therapy does not solely focus on the perinatal stage? We are open to serving a diverse group of people and welcome those interested in getting help. As a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), I am dedicated to establishing a holistic mental health practice, designed to support folks along their lifespan.
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10/24/2023

Join me on November 7th at 10am to grab a cup of coffee, connect with some moms, and talk about what is on your mind. What's working and what's really not working? What can we do to support one another and cope better? Feel free to bring your baby, a fellow mom, or come on your own :)

moms!! Join us for a great event to support your mental health!
he Meaningful Connection for Wellbeing group is an invitation for you to take some time away from your regular routine to have a cup of coffee, connect with other parents, talk about the challenges and triumphs of parenting, and get support from a Perinatal Mental Health Therapist.

lifewithababy.com/event-5441547

10/01/2023

I remember learning about residential schools for the first time in a 2nd year Canadian history class at the University of Victoria in my early 20’s. It is one of the few in-class memories I have that I can still picture so vividly in my mind. I was flooded with so many emotions - sadness, anger, and confusion. How could this have happened to so many people? How had I completed 14 years of school and not known about this? The more I continued to learn about the history of Canada the more sense it made. I can now see that the truth has been buried so deep and covered up by many.

My eldest daughter learned about residential schools for the first time at the age of 4 in Jr. Kindergarten, last year. This is a step forward AND there are many more steps needed towards uncovering the truth and reconciling the historical and current racism and atrocities that have happened and continue to occur to Indigenous people.

Only 13 out of the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission have been completed since 2015.

I contemplated posting because I didn’t want it to be performative. I decide to post this today to hold myself accountable to my ongoing efforts towards truth and reconciliation with the Indigenous people of Canada.

I commit to continue educating myself and my children, celebrating indigenous culture, knowledge and traditions, caring for the stolen lands I’m on, and finding ways to decolonize my practice.

*Included in my pictures is an amazing FREE 10 week program, Circles for Reconciliation, that supports reconciliation efforts between Indigenous and non-Indigenous folks where together, we can work through the TRC 94 Calls to Action.

🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

09/18/2023

Clinical Psychologist Jessica Yu talks about moms taking on a majority of the big and small worries in parenting…and we are not ok!

The impacts of this? Exhaustion, anger, resentment, burnout - all contributing factors to poor mental health.

What can we do?
➡️ Help moms take care of themselves!
➡️ Work towards equitable parenting and household responsibilities
➡️ Empower women with flexible schedules and affordable childcare in workplaces
➡️ Ensure mothers have access to accessible and low-cost mental health resources

Thanks .naidu for sharing this article!

09/14/2023

Checkout some of these amazing and informative infographics from UBC’s Perinatal Anxiety Research Lab .med

They are all about “intrusive thoughts” which are unpleasant thoughts that come into our mind when we don’t want them to.

I don’t know about you, but intrusive thoughts FREAKED me out when I became a new mom and at first, I was too scared to talk to anyone about them.
Here is some important info to know:
1. We have a bazillion thoughts racing through our mind.
2. Thoughts are just thoughts, they are not the truth.
3. Thoughts feel intrusive if they happen when we don’t want them to.
4. We are more likely to think about intrusive thoughts when we are worried and stressed.
5. We tend to zero in on thoughts that are upsetting/painful/about us/make us think we are bad/could really happen.
6. We most likely pay attention to intrusive thoughts that we DON’T want to happen.
7. 100% of new moms experience UNWANTED, intrusive thoughts of harming their baby by ACCIDENT.
8. 50% of new moms experience UNWANTED, intrusive thoughts of harming their baby by on PURPOSE.
9. There could be an evolutionary purpose to these intrusive thoughts (keep us alert to potential danger?)
10. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT MOMS ACT ON THEIR UNWANTED, INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS /IMAGES/IMPULSES!

If you are experiencing intrusive thoughts that are distressing and they are negatively impacting your ability to take care of yourself and enjoy life - PLEASE REACH OUT FOR SUPPORT! This is a VERY common experience and you don’t have to go through this alone.

Fore more information and to view the rest of the infographics: https://parlab.med.ubc.ca/infographic-on-postpartum-harm-thoughts/

09/07/2023

As we approach the fall and get back into the swing of things, I'm reminded of one of my FAVORITE books and probably the one I've recommended most to friends and clients Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by these amazing sisters and
This book explores the reality of being a female in today's world and discusses WHY women experience the type of stress we do and HOW we can recover.
It's mind-blowing yet simple, witty, and science based.
You learn things that will shock and surprise you and leave you feeling so understood! Also filled with lots of tools and techniques that you can incorporate into your daily life right away which I found empowering 💪🏾💜. Check it out 🤓📚🤯!!!

08/28/2023

Hmmm...I should probably take a moment to introduce myself a little more?

Hello, this is me during one of the hardest times in my life, pushing myself to go outside for a walk with my wee little one. No sleep. No energy. No make up. Just me!

I am passionate about supporting people along their journey's through conceiving, pregnancy, fertlitilty challenges, birth and postpartum. Why? Because there’s not enough support out there and I have experienced pregnancy and birth trauma, peripartum anxiety and postpartum depression.

Being a mom in today's world can be isolating and confusing. Both my education and personal experience has taught me the importance of getting professional help (sooner than later), talking to people (we love/trust), moving our bodies, and sleeping. None of which are easy in this phase of life 😰!

Today, I am in a much better place - a place that was hard to imagine, on that walk. I am laughing more, enjoying the small things in life, sleeping better and imagining a brighter future for myself and those around me.

What else 😏…?
Favorite artist: Mariah Carey/Tina Turner (hard call)
Favorite hobbies: cooking and traveling (without kids if possible 😜)
Biggest fear: BIRDS 🥵

Check out my website and booking link in my bio if you’d like more info 🤓.

05/14/2023

What if Mother’s Day isn’t always so happy? For many people, today is a tough day. There are people who are struggling with their fertility, people who are reconciling their relationships with their own mothers, and people who might not get all the spoils today.
Mother’s Day can be a loaded day for so many different reasons. It can bring on feelings of love, joy, humour and connection and also bring on feelings of disappointment, anger, embarrassment or guilt - just to name some.
No matter what you are feeling today, just know that you are not alone even if it feels so lonely.
Here’s to hoping that we can continue to have more honest conversations about what motherhood really feels like. Here’s to you 🧡🧡🧡.