Wisdom for Wellness

Did you know 6.7 million Canadians are living with a mental health condition and 4000 Canadians die by suicide every year?  Every single Canadian is affected by mental health issues, either directly with first hand experience or indirectly in someone they know. Join Sarah and Sam as they have an emotional and powerful discussion with Michael Landsberg, a Mental Health Warrior, Founder of SickNotWe...

Let me know if you need anything – I'd be happy to help! We are all guilty of offering an open-ended deal to our friends and families who have recently lost a loved one. But what about someone who is a continuous caregiver to their loved one who has a mental or physical limitation? This month, we sit down with Amy Coupal the CEO at Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) to learn more about what...

You will need a pen and paper for this episode because Renee Raymond, Psychotherapist, provides many practical tips and tools for getting a better night’s rest. Sam and Sarah explore what sleep dust is and how it fills our balloon, how we can increase our sleep capacity and understand how various inputs can impact  our sleep. Listen to Renee share more about how sleep is not an optional part of ou...

Changing careers, moving, and change can be terrifying! Where do you even start? This month, we speak with Sharlene Gumbs, Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist with a specalization in Return to Work and Career Transition. Sharlene’s infectious laugh and genuine personality comes across as we explore the concept of transitions.   Throughout her work with First Responders, Sharlene has come...

Join Sam and Sarah as they uncover the healing properties of art therapy! What is the science behind creative therapies and how can they help one process difficult emotions? Did you know that the types of mediums you use to express yourself can offer insight into your thought patterns? We explore how we can incorporate these creative means into our daily life!   Jennifer is a Registered Psychother...

Research suggests that divorce rates continue to increase across Canada, while emerging data details the impacts of COVID-19 on our relationships and families. Speaking of families, how can we manage stressful situations and not let difficult life events impact those we care about?  This month Sarah and Sam spoke to Registered Social Worker and Accredited Family Mediator, Stefanie Peachey, about h...

Why do men need specialized support? When looking at each individual's experience in the world, we know that those who identify as being male or masculine often face different societal pressures than those who identify as being a woman or feminine. Join Sarah and Sam as they deconstruct what it means to be a man with psychotherapist and men’s life coach Rolando Hyman. In this episode, we spea...

Are you feeling an abundance of energy stuck in your body? Did you know a little dance party might do the trick? Sounds silly, right? But Dr. Janine Kreft speaks to Sam and Sarah about the benefits of movement in your healing journey, specifically for those who have experienced trauma. Learn the benefits of staying in question rather than ending with conclusions and how we can best support our wel...

Join Sam and Sarah as they speak with Annette Kussin, Certified Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist about all things attachment! Annette shares with us what attachment is, how we can learn our attachment and accept it non-judgmentally. Annette explains how attachment becomes internalized in the brain and what you experience is how you come to believe others will treat you. Learn more a...

With spring around the corner, Sam and Sarah are already anticipating the toxic magazine ads, Instagram stories, and social media comments telling us it’s time to get our “Summer Body”. Frankly, we are tired of this harmful mentality!! Join us in this vulnerable and real episode with a local Kingston psychotherapist and personal trainer, Bria Wannamaker, to examine how our thoughts directly impact...

Have you ever wondered how to incorporate speaking about mental health into your daily life? Have you ever considered the mental health of your family as a unit? What is the benefit of talking about it anyways? Sarah and Sam sit down with Psychotherapist, Stress Specialist, Professor and Professional Speaker Sajel Bellon. Sajel pulls on her experience as a spouse to a First Responder and shares pr...

Children are resilient, even when it comes to feeling emotions of grief about death, dying, and illnesses. Join Sam and Sarah as they speak about the principles of explaining death to the younger people in our lives, how to be vulnerable and structure conversations around trust, honesty and inclusion. Learn how to practice grief,  how sorrow and joy co-exist, and understand the utility in doing gr...

Sam and Sarah are ending the podcast year the same way they started it--just the two of them!  Listen in while they discuss their key take-aways from the past guests and talk about the difficulties of the holiday season. Learn to listen to your body, let go of comparison, and dedicate time for things you want to do this season – even if that’s NOT listening to holiday music.    Listen to our previ...

It is no surprise that there is a huge sense of identity within your job. You spend the majority of your day at work, it gives you purpose, and confidence. In this month’s episode, Sam and Sarah speak with Avril Jno-Baptiste-Jones about how she has continued to stay true to herself while advancing in her military career. Avril shares her unique perspective of working in both the civilian corporate...

 This month Sarah and Sam have an honest conversation about the science behind depression with Dr. Zul Merali,  the past CEO of the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research and the Founding Scientific Director of the Canadian Depression Research and Intervention Network.  Zul shares insights into the latest research and technology for individuals living with depression and explains...

In this month’s episode, we speak with Dr.  Eric Gentry, the creator of Forward Facing Trauma Therapy (FFTT), to discuss Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, tips and skills to reduce the feelings of stress and discomfort  in the moment, and supports for loved ones who are supporting someone who lives with PTSD.  Eric shares with us how and why our bodies experience threat responses and how he works wi...

Content Warning: Domestic Violence & Abuse. This month we speak with Samra Zafar, an award-winning international speaker, bestselling author, consultant, educator, and entrepreneur who advocates for gender equity, inclusion, and human rights. Samra shares ways to never compromise on your self respect and how to thrive despite adversity. Listen now to hear Samra’s inspiring story of how she bec...

This month Sarah and Sam explore a topic which comes up in conversation with our community often - not feeling good enough. Where do these thoughts come from and why are we fearful of experiencing shame? Join us as Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist, and Certified Daring Way Facilitator, Amreeta Kaur, teaches us the difference between guilt and shame and shares how we can all become more co...

This month Sam and Sarah discuss how Westernized Mental Health approaches don’t work for everyone. Elder Deb Eisan joins us this month to share her experiences of healing, transition and alternative approaches to supporting your Mental Health. Think: approaches other than talk therapy. Elder Deb generously shared teachings from her Indigenous culture with us and practical examples of how we can im...

This month we spoke with local Kingston grief coach Ophelia Rigault. Ophelia shared with us the different types of grief and how we may not be as familiar with them because we were never taught how to grieve.  Ophelia walks us through how to manage loss, how to support and validate someone who is grieving and the connection between love and grief.  Bob Kemp Hospice Text and Online Support: Grief T...

This month we spent time with Adam Kreek, one of North America’s top Executive Business Coaches, who specializes in leadership development and strategic planning.  Adam walks us through how we can identify our values and how living true to our values can improve our Mental Health. Adam shares stories from his life experiences that demonstrate how we can manage change and find strength in resilienc...

This month Sam and Sarah talk about worry, anxiety, and the impact of the pandemic on these feelings. We ask anxiety expert, Lynn Lyons, her tips on how to manage anxiety, how to step into uncertainty, and how parents can support anxious kids. Follow along on Sam and Sarah’s journey as they learn about common mistakes when it comes to talking to anxiety. To learn more about Lynn’s work, click here...

In this month's episode we have our first guest, Jonathan Shippey! Jonathan is a certified Gottman couples therapist and a Master Trainer with the Gottman Institute. Jonathan shares with us some history of the Gottman method and  why this approach to couples therapy is so effective. We also discuss some tips you can start doing now to improve communication in your relationship and how small t...

In this month’s episode we kick things off by sharing what led us to creating the podcast through our work at the Kingston Military Family Resource Centre. We discuss some ways COVID-19 can be impacting your mental health and we work on defining self-care. Spoiler alert: It’s not always what we see on social media. We look at boundaries and how to set them and explore how fawning could be a fourth...