Level Up Growth

There are so many expectations in life. They come from everywhere - families, society, culture, ourselves. How can we deal with all of these expectations and live the life we want to live. In this re-released episode Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss how they've grappled with expectations in their own lives and offer some food for thought. In this episode we talk about: familial,...

There have been numerous studies that show gratitude as being correlated to happiness. It can also be a big part of the "progress" toward personal growth. This week, Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC explore gratitude, from formal practice to everyday life, and its effect on wellbeing. In this episode we talk about: formal gratitude practice benefits of gratitude other ways to cult...

Spooky season is here! Did you know that it is also a time of year where you can enhance your personal growth in a number of ways? This week Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss a number of ways to approach personal growth during the Halloween season. In this episode we talk about: getting creative juices flowing stepping outside your comfort zone creating community and more! Follow the...

There is tons of researching showing that loneliness is detrimental to physical and mental health, even if you're an introvert. Solitude, on the other hand, is really important for us. This week Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss the impacts of loneliness and how to cultivate more solitude and connection in our lives. In this episode we discuss: impacts of loneliness basics of pol...

Maybe you've already heard about Jonah Hill's misuse of the term boundaries. It's just one of many therapeutic/psychological terms that have been misused recently. In this week's episode Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss commonly misused words and how we can be more thoughtful around therapy speak. In this episode we discuss: terms such as boundaries, abuse, OCD, etc....

In this replay of our very first episode, Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss what self-compassion is, why it's important, and how we can develop this amazing personal growth and mental health skill. In this episode we discuss: what self-compassion is misconceptions about self-compassion how it can help steps you can take toward being more self-compassionate New episode next week!...

Things that we see advertised to us as "self-care" from the Wellness Industry (we're looking at you Gwyneth) versus what self-care actually is very, very different. Self-care, when used correctly, can actually be very helpful. This week Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC, discuss what self-care actually is and when to be wary of the wellness industry. In this episode we talk abo...

The four existential givens: death, meaninglessness, freedom and isolation. Often the causes of anxiety, and pretty common for us humans. Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss these existential givens, how they lead to crises and how we can help ourselves through them. In this episode we talk about: theories of existential philosophy Yalom's 4 existential givens Man's Search for...

How do you identify or label yourself? Are labels good or bad? Helpful or unhelpful? We use labels for many things. We give them to ourselves and others both consciously and subconsciously. This week Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss labels and the connection to personal growth. In this episode we talk about: what's good about labels what's bad about labels how to use labels...

Self-actualization (noun) - the realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potentialities, especially considered as a drive or need present in everyone. (Oxford Languages). This week on Level Up Growth, Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC talk about what self-actualization is, how it ties into personal growth, and their personal thoughts, feelings and experiences with it. Are you read...

It's an interesting question and the research on it seems to be evolving. This week, Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC are discussing personality. What it is, what impacts it, if we can change it and how. Kelsey changed part of her personality a few years ago, but is the change permanent? Lots of reflections, psychoeducation and personal growth coming at you. In this episode we discuss:...

Are you ready for a mindfulness challenge? This week, Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC are starting a 10 day mindfulness challenge. Mindfulness doesn't have to mean meditation (though it can). The idea is to engage in some sort of mindfulness activity, daily for 10 days, increasing your time by 1 minute per day. We can't wait to hear how everyone does! To register for our Body Image...

Adventures can be a big part of personal growth, especially when we go out of our comfort zones. In this week's mid-season mini episode, Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC talk about their summer adventure plans and how it helps them grow. Register for our Body Image Transformation Workshop by clicking below: Event Brite Follow the show on Instagram @levelupgrowthpodcast Follow Grace on I...

Are morning routines important? Helpful? Necessary? On this week's episode Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss their own morning "routines" and their thoughts on the wellness trend. To sign up for our Body Image Transformation Workshop, click the link below: Event Brite Follow the show on Instagram @levelupgrowthpodcast Follow Grace on Instagram @drgraceni.nd Follow Kelse...

We're taking a bit of a summer vacation, and while we do we've got 4 weeks of bonus mini episodes coming at you! This week, Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC share their book recommendations for fiction and non-fiction lovers alike! If you'd like to share your summer reading list with us, please tag us on Instagram with this episode! To register for our Body Image Transformation...

Do you ever find yourself feeling defensive when receiving feedback? Even if it's constructive, helpful, and we asked for it, we can often feel that pull into defensiveness. This week, Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC share their own struggles with receiving feedback and give ideas on how to receive it better. In this episode we talk about: how to give feedback why we get so defensive s...

According to dictionary.com perfectionism is the "refusal to accept any standard short of perfection." That begs the question, can any human ever be perfect? Wellness perfectionism is this standard as applied to wellness, personal growth and health. This week Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss wellness perfectionism and how to become more psychologically flexible. In this ep...

Anxiety is really common. It's one of the most frequent reasons people come to see Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC in practice. It's also something they both experience themselves, because it's part of being human. This week they are discussing not only why people get anxious, also what we can do to accept some of the feelings of regular anxiety. In this episode we talk about:...

It's pretty common nowadays to get a lot of information on medical and mental health diagnoses from social media. And there certainly seems to be a rise in self-diagnosing. Is this okay to do? What should we be wary of? Dr. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC chat with Dr. Jessica Rabon, licensed clinical psychologist about mental health diagnoses, self-diagnosing and social media. In this epi...

It's summer and we wanted to offer this quickie bonus episode instead of a full one this week. Grace Ni, ND shares her tip of the week (or summer) and Kelsey Harris, RCC offers some suggestions on how to adapt it regardless of ability. Tune in next week for our first guest episode with Dr. Jessica Rabon! If you're interested in the Summer Wellness Retreat (yoga and meditation) hosted by Ke...

It's not easy to change perspectives and sometimes it can be the result of the struggles we face. This week, Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss what led Grace to her personal growth journey, from disordered eating to becoming a naturopathic doctor and beyond. Changing perspectives on a lot of different things in her life is part of what Grace has found to be impactful from her journey...

Challenge and change can be avenues to personal growth. This week, Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss what led Kelsey to her personal growth journey and career as a registered clinical counsellor, as well as the many ways challenge and change still influence her personal growth journey. Challenge is something most of us face. What we do with it can make a huge impact on our lives. In this...

How do we deal with the expectations set out by our family or our culture or society at large? How do we know what we want? Why do we have timelines for our lives and get upset when they don't pan out. Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC share some personal stories as they reflect on these questions. Questions that a lot of people wrestle with in order to live their best lives. In this episode...

As promised, our continuation of last week's episode about body image. This week Grace Ni, ND and Kelsey Harris, RCC discuss strategies they've used with themselves as well as strategies they use with clients to help with body image and self-worth when it comes to appearance. There are a ton of approaches out there, so these are just a few for you to consider if you're struggling with...

So many of us struggle with body image. In a previous episode, Grace Ni, ND mentioned how she really dislikes when people speak badly about their bodies in front of her. And so, she and co-host Kelsey Harris, RCC dive into why that is and much, much more on body image. In this episode we discuss: what body image is unhelpful perceptions, thoughts, feelings and behaviours body image for other bodie...