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– By Sharon Ashton and Raksha Dave-Gates (Counselling Psychologists) For many of us, December is the busiest social time of the year. Our lives get even busier as we squeeze in all the extras – gift and food shopping, cleaning and decorating, house parties, staff parties, and school festivities. In spite of all the effort we make to get together socially with family, friends, and co-workers, we may not feel especially close. We hope that the following paragraphs will provide

– By Sharon Ashton and Raksha Dave-Gates (Counselling Psychologists) Many people look forward to the New Year as a time to focus fresh energy on self-development.  Typical resolutions involve positive lifestyle changes such as committing to an exercise or weight loss program or dropping hazardous health habits like smoking or eating junk food.  January can also provide the impetus to learn new skills that hold the promise of improving important relationships in our lives, especially those with family, friends, and

– By Sharon Ashton and Raksha Dave-Gates (Counselling Psychologists) “Hu tane prem karu chu”. Unless you speak Gujarati, a language from India, this sentence will leave you baffled. The English translation is, “I love you”. Through experience, we know how important it is for both speaker and listener to converse in the same language. This month we want to highlight the need to use common language whenever we want to communicate love. In North America, February represents a time to

– By Sharon Ashton and Raksha Dave-Gates (Counselling Psychologists) As the month of March begins, the old saying, “March comes in like a lamb and out like a lion” reminds us that we are sure to have a few more wintry blasts ahead.  We can be reassured knowing that the long winter is almost over and a warmer season is just around the corner.  Before spring arrives, however, seasonal depression or “the blues” will affect many Calgarians, especially those who

– By Sharon Ashton and Raksha Dave-Gates (Counselling Psychologists) As we anticipate the arrival of spring, we look forward to a burst of color as trees and shrubs begin to bud and as tulips and daffodils push their way through the soil.  Just as the spring landscape is painted with a vibrant pallet, Dr. Taylor Hartman guides readers of his book, The Color Code, to use colour as a new way to view the sweeping range of innate human characteristics. Dr.

By Sharon Ashton and Dr. Raksha Dave-Gates Each weeknight from dinner hour until dusk, community baseball diamonds and outdoor soccer fields will be filled with the sights and sounds of spring.  Children by the dozen gather at these seasonal events, spilling out of mini-vans and station wagons with energy and enthusiasm to burn.  On the cooler evenings, parents huddle under blankets while they visit with neighbours and watch their childrens’ team sports.  The crack of a bat or the thud

– By Sharon Ashton and Raksha Dave-Gates (Counselling Psychologists) Some of the most important people in our lives are friends.  While some friends last a lifetime, others may come and go.  Some friends may even vary by season. As summer time approaches, through activities like soccer, golf, backyard barbeques, and visiting the local playground with our children, we may rebuild or create friendships that may have been dormant through the winter season. Regardless of when our friends join us; friendship

– By Sharon Ashton and Raksha Dave-Gates (Counselling Psychologists) With the arrival of summer, many Calgarians look forward to slipping into a vacation mode and easing up on the hectic pace they have maintained over the past six to nine months. There is no doubt that summer brings a lot of welcome change. Our children are home from school. Family vacations are often planned during July and August – this leads to lighter traffic patterns for those at home who