6 days ago
Over the past four years I’ve been on a painfully revealing journey digging up all the dirt hidden in my system. Like the dirt under a rug, for us humans, our early painful experiences live on in our system, both in our subconscious and in our bodies doing damage we’re often unaware of.
May 5 2022
You can imagine, as a parent, how terrifying and heartbreaking it is to watch your child’s sense of self crumble. No amount of love I tried to pour into her could “fix” her. She needed professional guidance to give her skills to climb out of the darkness and rediscover her joy.
April 7 2022
As a lead up to the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Mental Health Week from May 2-8, 2022, social enterprise and artisan retailer, Marnie & Michael has partnered with Canadian not-for-profit, InsideOut Initiative for a special Mother’s Day campaign to raise proceeds and generate awareness of the InsideOut Initiative acadeME Bootcamps for teens and parents-of-teens.
March 17 2022
I recently read an article that mentions "Overstimulation sets us up for failure" and that hit home for me. My mind is constantly skipping ahead to the next task, oftentimes before I've even finished the current task and more often than not, I can hit or surpass a goal without even acknowledging it because I'm so focused on what hasn't been achieved yet. It's a bitter and never ending circle. And it's funny because we as humans crave peace - we crave the ability to be fully present in the here and now and to truly soak it all up because we don't know how long we have on this earth. Yet we still live our days in the chaos of our to-do list.
March 10 2022
Not only is today a perfect day to celebrate all things awesome, it is also a day that can give us the push to try awesome things we don't normally do! It is after-all, a day that is supposed to be fun so no need to take it too seriously.
March 3 2022
Today our goal is to make others happy. We focus on others first. I know what you're thinking... "compliments" and "wishes of happiness" will do and sure, that's a great way to start but there is so much more that can be done.
February 24 2022
Unfortunately sometimes your relatives just can’t do that for you and that is OKAY. There is nothing wrong with you. Sometimes, we are offered the chance to pick and choose our families.
February 17 2022
Now, self-compassion involves acting the same way towards yourself when you are having a difficult time instead of ignoring your pain. Instead of judging and criticizing yourself for your possible inadequacies, by practicing self compassion you are kind and understanding of your personal failures.
February 10 2022
As you know, mental health does not discriminate based on race or background BUT those factors can make access to mental health much more difficult and the ongoing stigma surrounding lack of access to the health care continue to be barriers for anyone - but especially minorities.
February 3 2022
In some countries in the world, this month is LGBTQ+ History awareness month. As we all know, being different can feel very lonely, especially when that ‘difference’ is mocked, ridiculed, and if you openly live this frowned upon lifestyle, you can also become the target of hate crimes and violence.
January 27 2022
Jennifer and I are back this year and so excited to offer you a FREE WORKSHOP that dives deep into the link between your microbiome and your mental health. In December, I shared a few details about the growing body of research connecting the gut to our overall health, including its effect on our moods, anxiety, depression, sleep and more.
January 20 2022
Now, I know what you may be thinking... Okay Jen, this is great but now you've made me want to completely change my original resolutions to something a bit more manageable. But where the heck do I begin? Don't you worry! To help spark some ideas, I've complied a list of some small but epic resolutions to help you celebrate what's to come for the rest of 2022.
January 13 2022
Building a meaningful human connection can be quite challenging and despite wanting this kind of connection, some people might not understand or show up for you and that's ok. It's about trying and understanding you are worthy of connection and the people that matter will show up.
December 23 2021
More importantly, if you experience happiness, please allow it to enter into your grief space and be present with the people around you. Be kind to yourself and try to take it one holiday party and one feeling at a time. Happy Holidays.
December 21 2021
It is no surprise at anyone who is aware of my story, that dealing with trauma at a young age comes with a whole bunch of 'side effects', shall we say....! Only recently though did I learn how much of my immune system issues were connected to this and how much the food I was eating had to do the healing of by mind and body. I've been on this journey for over thirty years, but I've made lots of head way, which is promising.
December 16 2021
We know what you're thinking.. but shopping local doesn't necessarily mean you need to break the bank... so we've curated a list of our favourite small businesses that are jam packed full of affordable yet unique gifts that you really can't find anywhere else.
December 9 2021
Here are some practical tips, you can use to minimize the stress that will accompany your holidays and who knows, you may even end up enjoying the holidays more than you thought you would. I know what you're thinking.... when stress is at it's all time high, it's incredibly hard to stop and rationalize and that's why we want to prevent stress and depression in the first place.
December 2 2021
The Marnie & Michael 2021 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE is committed to highlighting products that align with our core goal of continually supporting the mental health initiative.
November 25 2021
The point is – when you find something that works, utilize it. Marnie & Michael is an amazing company, doing something productive and helpful. The more support we have for mental health, the less of a stigma it is. The more aware we are of how many of us are struggling with it, the less alone we all feel.
November 18 2021
Human beings are complicated, emotions are complicated and you are not always going to have a good day and that's OK. Even when you are in your feels, you can still be the light in someone's life without being that toxic positive person pretending that everything is ok when you know damn well it isn't.
November 11 2021
Every November 11th, we pay respect to those in uniform who have fought and died for our country. In Canada, it is estimated that up to 10% of war veterans, including peacekeeping forces, will experience a chronic condition known as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
November 4 2021
We’re now living in a small town located two-plus hours from Toronto. Dinner meetings, taxi’s, bike couriers, interns – all gone. Bye-bye. What I use to do in a twelve-plus-hour-day now has to fit into less than six hours. There are so many cliché sayings I could pop in here right now, but I won’t.
October 28 2021
My childhood experiences came flooding back to me. I never thought this cycle would continue in our generation. After everything we had been through, it had never crossed my mind that one of my sisters would cut herself out of my life. I honestly didn’t know that Mom was the glue – I thought the four of sisters were the glue. So much loss in such a short period of time. Just mind blowing, actually.
October 14 2021
My side of this kindness coin felt heavy. I felt cheated of a solid foundation, a stable upbringing and any real connection with her. I felt like the addiction always won – my sisters and I would ask her to recognize this to no avail, only to be left sobbing from verbal insults spewing from her enraged state.
August 26 2021
WAYPOINT provides an extensive range of acute and longer-term mental health and addictions inpatient and outpatient services, as well as the North Simcoe/Muskoka Specialized Geriatrics Services program. The hospital also operates various outpatient and community programs serving the needs of children, youth, adults and seniors.
July 15 2021
During these years apart, Mom was properly diagnosed with Bi-Polar, OCD, PTSD and adult ADHD. With therapy, she moved from being a victim of childhood trauma herself to becoming a survivor. It was her tallest mountain to climb, but the one I’m most proud of.
June 10 2021
I’ve put together some ideas for this year’s Father’s Day for you. Whether you’re looking for a physical gift or an experience gift, here are some great options to check out for the Dad in your life!
June 3 2021
So as we celebrate PRIDE MONTH this June 2021, I will remember my Uncles and all those who have gone before them. I will wrap arms around my loved ones and friends who identify themselves as LBGTQ2S+ now.
May 27 2021
When I became older, I realized I had used my journaling as a tool. Yes, there were many plain ol’ venting entries – many, many actually – but as I grew older, there were also insights, questions, bigger-picture thoughts on how this all tied together for me.
May 4 2021
The agency consists of a 27-bed crisis shelter along with Outreach services onsite. Approximately 1,000 women and children are assisted by the agency annually. In addition to shelter, staff provide individual and group counselling, legal information and support, court support, information about violence against women, referrals to other community and social services, and public education in the community.
April 29 2021
And so, LINK OF HEARTS was born, a small company that offers products designed to create a movement raising awareness for depression, other mental illnesses, and mental health. Every product directly impacts a person struggling in silence, by providing a message of hope and contributing to ongoing aid and support for those who need it.
April 27 2021
PROVINCE OF CANADA started with just a couple kids from Canada who met in Montreal circa 2005. Julie grew up in a small Québec town and Jeremy in southern Ontario. They shared a love for graphic design and quality textiles, and it wasn’t long after getting married that they decided to quit their jobs and launch a Canadian brand with the goal of manufacturing every product in Canada.
April 22 2021
During Cheekbone’s infancy, Jenn endured a heavy personal loss with the suicide of her brother B.J. This loss, though difficult, has remained a driving force behind the desire to see CHEEKBONE BEAUTY succeed with its mission, to empower Indigenous youth. Based out of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, CHEEKBONE BEAUTY is known for creating high quality, cruelty-free beauty products such as liquid lipsticks and complexion products including contour and highlight palettes.
April 20 2021
Today, Jaclyn and Joanna collaborate in design and business and focus on making original pieces that our generation will live in comfortably. "We focus on making our pieces clean, simple, and unique." As sisters, Jac and Jo are each other's strongest source of inspiration. A portion of JAC+JO sales will be donated to women's interest groups and cancer research organizations.
April 15 2021
After Founder, Tambra, found the ability to start following her own feelings and intuition, this led her to discovering her own true passion: helping others live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives. She created OM MATTERS to use yoga practices and philosophies to provide people with the tools and inspiration to create positive and lasting change in their lives.