but... how does that saying go again.... If you've ever tried to help a teen girl feel more confident, you probably already know... Telling her she's amazing doesn't make her feel amazing. Telling her not to worry doesn't stop the worry. Telling her not to waste her time comparing herself to everyone else doesn't magically make comparison disappear. Sometimes our girls need to do it Merida the Brave Style As parents, we can point toward the path. We can cheer from the sidelines. We can remind...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Do I like or dislike this thing happening? When your teen daughter is going through something difficult like an injury, a friendship struggle, a tough day at school, it’s natural for her mind to go straight to: What if this gets worse?What if I embarass myself? What if everything changes? And often, underneath those thoughts is another question: Do I like or dislike this thing happening? For an injured athlete, the answer is probably a resounding No. She doesn’t like missing practice.Or...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Want to come along for the ride? Okay, maybe it’s the Pink Pony Club effect… But lately I’ve been thinking a LOT about teen girls having a place where they can be themselves, find their people, try new things, laugh a little louder, and discover just how capable they are. And it got me thinking… What if we created that place? 💗 wait. we did that! Something fun.Something meaningful.Something I really wish existed when I was a teenager. I’m not quite ready to reveal exactly where this PATH is...
11 days ago • 1 min read
We can care deeply and take care of ourselves too. When Your Teen Is Hurting, You Feel It Too Recently, I signed my teen up for a program he was genuinely excited about. As the date got closer, though, his excitement shifted to- What if there are too many people? What if I don’t like it? What if I feel uncomfortable? I was trying to listen, make space, and support him without letting his anxiety take over. And then I noticed something. My throat was getting tight, too. I was anxious. It...
16 days ago • 1 min read
thanks for the therapy session! One of my favourite things about being a psychologist is that I never quite know where inspiration is going to find me. This week, it found me in a Spider-Man movie. No, really! I walked into Spider-Man: Brand New Day expecting popcorn, laughs, tears and superhero action. I walked out thinking about the teen girls I work with every day. There's a moment (very minor spoilers alert) where Spider-Man creates an inhibitor to control the overwhelming changes...
24 days ago • 1 min read
from I'm fine to celebrating the small moments of openness Raising Resilient Teen Daughters When your teen isn't ready to talk... It's impossibly hard to watch our daughters struggle, especially when we can see they're hurting, but they insist they're fine. If your teen has recently experienced a sports injury or any type of painful experience, you may have noticed she's avoiding conversations about it, spending more time on her phone, or seeming disconnected from the things she once loved....
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
cold plunges & roller coasters, how our minds are one of the most powerful tools we can train. The Strongest Muscle I Trained This Week Wasn't My Legs Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to compete at Ball Hockey Nationals. Between multiple games, exploring the streets of Montreal, and even saying yes to all the crazy roller coasters (something I never thought I'd do!), I came home reflecting on something unexpected. It wasn't just that my body held up through a demanding week. It was...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Avoiding difficult thoughts and feelings doesn't make them disappear The Hidden Energy Drain: SURPRISE. It's Avoidance! When we think about recovering from a sports injury, we often focus on the physical side of healing. But what about the emotional energy it takes? For many teen girl athletes, sport isn't just something they do, it's where they build confidence, friendships, identity, and a sense of belonging. So when an injury sidelines them, they're not only grieving their sport; they're...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
We are now over 2000 strong! Your Feelings Are Not Who You Are 💛 When a teen girl athlete gets injured or is navigating life challenges, she isn't just healing a knee, ankle, or shoulder. She's trying to make sense of the stories running through her mind: "I'll never get back to where I was.""Everyone else is moving ahead without me.""Maybe I'll never recover." In this week's blog, I explore one simple but powerful idea that has been on my heart: Your feelings are not who you are. Our brains...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read