The Tranquil Mind

Something in your healthcare changing, even when it’s a positive change, can feel unsettling. In this short pop-up episode, I’m walking you through an important update in my practice and what it means for your care. As of July 1st, my Ontario practice will be moving fully online as I relocate to British Columbia. For many of you, this won’t change much. For others, it may bring up questions about...

Sometimes working on our mental health feels hard - especially when we are already struggling. In this episode Dr. Jola Sikorski ND shares her defence of hobbies. Inspired by a presentation in our mental health fellowship group - Jola brings brilliance, humour and a dash of real talk to this inspiring conversation about the benefits that can happen when we let ourselves engage in activities beyond...

Back-to-school can be stressful — but it doesn’t have to be. In this solo episode, Dr. Katie shares how to support anxious kids and teens with naturopathic strategies focused on sleep, nutrition, movement, and nervous system regulation. Practical, compassionate, and calm. 📥 Download the free Fed & Focused Nutrition Toolkit Looking for support from Dr. Katie Thomson Aitken ND? Follow along on...

Not every healthcare provider works in a silo, and as Robyn Murray (she/her), physiotherapist and founder of The Village Physio & Co. shares, building a village of care providers can be transformative for both patient outcomes and practitioner wellbeing. In this episode of The Tranquil Mind , Robyn and I dive into multidisciplinary care, the nervous system, and what it means to truly partner w...

In this episode of The Tranquil Mind Samantha Dass and I speak about navigating the swinging pendulum between boundaries and community - things we both agree you need in place for your health and wellbeing. We discuss: - knowing when you need a firmer boundary - building your own capacity to say no (and also to say yes) - managing the part where communities are made of people and relationships and...

Not all of us face the same barriers when accessing healthcare, and as Kristie Brassard (she/her) founder of Kaleidoscope Counselling Collective explains sometimes it can feel like you have to educate your care provider about your entire community - rather than just getting to be yourself. In this episode of The Tranquil Mind Kristie and I talk about the challenges and also the unique joys and res...

If you've ever had questions about mental health medications (and I know you have because I get asked them all.the.time) this is the episode for you! From questions about do I even need medications, to managing side effects, to understanding when and how we can discontinue medications this episode is the MythBusting Q and A you've been waiting for. I'm joined today by Dr. Taylor Thurst...

The patriarchy rewards men for being stoic and disconnected from their feelings, and - sorry to be the drama here - but it's killing them. In this must listen to episode with John Shearer we talk about men's mental health, unpacking how career success and male loneliness are related and why modern parenting can feel like ripping off a band-aid in ways most of us never see coming. John shar...

Tweens are going through a lot. As puberty starts kicking in and their brains and hormones start to change, you know who else goes through a lot - their parents! On this episode of The Tranquil Mind Dr. Tara Rawana, naturopathic doctor and co-founder of All About Mental Empowerment, shares advice for parents about what is happening with kids mental health during the tween years and also how can we...

Adapting to parenthood is a challenge - but how hard is it supposed to be? When do the normal worries and normal fatigue stop being "normal" or "the baby blues" and become a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder? Today we are joined by Heather Ratych, Registered Social Worker, Owner and Clinical Director of Bloom Psychotherapy to talk about asking for help in the postpartum period. Want to connect w...

Nutrition is so much more than your menu plan! Nutritionist Kelly Carter and Dr. Katie Thomson Aitken ND, discuss the mindset changes we need to work on to be able to make nutrition changes stick. Want to Connect with Kelly? Follow her on instagram or email contact@kellycarternutrition Looking for support from Dr. Katie Thomson Aitken ND? Follow along on ⁠instagram⁠ , check out her ⁠book⁠ , or if...

Join Dr. Kirstie Griffiths and Me (Dr. Katie) at Guelph Yoga and Wellness Festival! Not sure if this is the event for you? In this episode Dr. Griffith chiropractor, yoga teacher, and best-selling author shares about her love of yoga, and how she is sharing that - while helping her community - at the Yoga and Wellness Festival. Get the details on who this event is really for and what it feels like...

Today on The Tranquil Mind we are joined by indigenous healer and author Asha Frost. Listen in as Asha and I speak about the anxiety of disconnection and as Asha what it feels like to listen to your own voice in a world that isn't built for your way of being. Asha offers a reminder of tools we can use to reconnect with ourselves and shares a oracle card reading (using her own deck) for this co...

Thinking about starting (or restarting!) therapy can be a vulnerable place to be in and many people have a ton of questions. How do you even know if you need therapy? How does a practitioners training and background influence care? Do I need to look for someone who uses a specific model of treatment? What's it like to see a therapist? What if I really didn't like it the last time I tried t...

This one is for everyone who's ever had a critical thought towards your own body (so everyone) Listen in on this conversation with artist Emmy Tran as we discuss art, body image, and creative expression as part of healing. "If I'm capable of seeing so much beauty in the world, the world has to be capable of seeing so much beauty in me" ~Emmy Tran For more information on Emmy'...

Have you ever wondered why you move towards some goals with determination it almost feels effortless, even when it's a lot of work and other times, it seems like no matter how much you try and move the needle, you just don't have the motivation? What if the difference was Purpose? In this insightful interview with Meghan Walker, we discuss purpose, it's relationship to anxiety, how pur...

Looking for support from Dr. Katie Thomson Aitken ND? Follow along on ⁠instagram⁠ , check out her ⁠book⁠ , or if you live in Ontario ⁠ book a strategy session⁠ to discuss working with her personally.

You know that scene in How to Loose A Guy in 10 Days where Kate Hudson's character cons her boyfriend into "couples therapy" where her friend is the therapist? I think we all know that couples therapy isn't like that. But that leaves the question of "so what is it like?" In this episode I'm joined by Carrie-Lynn Adam. A social worker and psychotherapist who works wi...

I spend a lot of time working with folks with generalized anxiety disorder. The kind of anxiety that's about everything and nothing at the same time. But what about when you have a very specific fear?  Today my guest is Dr. Beverly Walpole A clinical psychologist, educator and mom who is deeply invested in helping children overcome their worries, and supporting motivated parents in yes their p...

Remember back to grade 7 science when you learned "the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell?" I know for a lot of folks that seems like something maybe not that helpful from quite a long time ago - but luckily Dr. Nicole DeYonge ND has a background in biomedical sciences, a passion for mental health and chronic pain and has agreed to share her expertise on - yes - the mitochondria...

I thought that if you were going to hang out with me here, you might want to know who I am, where I'm from, and how I came to think about anxiety and mental health the way that I do. So this is me. Embarrassing childhood stories and all. Looking for support from Dr. Katie Thomson Aitken ND? Follow along on ⁠instagram⁠ , check out her ⁠book⁠ , or if you live in Ontario ⁠ book a strategy session...

Wait, do *I* have *anxiety*? Anxiety is a universal experience. We have all had an anxious moment. But what's the difference between feeling anxious and having an anxiety disorder? And how do you know if you need help? In this episode I answer one of my most frequently asked questions: Do I have anxiety? Looking for support from Dr. Katie Thomson Aitken ND? Follow along on instagram , check ou...

Listen for a sneak peak of The Tranquil Mind, Coming Fall 2023!