Express yourself

Express yourself

by | Mar 1, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Communication, Courage, Creativity

This week my husband Joe and I set off on an adventure to Tanzania in a leadership expedition with 21 high school students.

We will be doing community service, going on safari, and hopefully summiting Kilimanjaro.

One of the things I most value about travel is having an opportunity to gain perspective, and viewing our lives through a different lens.

In the Ethiopian airport, I met a woman en route to Kenya, who made me smile. Her diamond-studded glasses caught my eye, even across a crowded airport. No matter what uniform or customary dress we wear, our personalities can’t help but shine through.

I wonder how your personality shines. What small forms of expression do you have to allow people to see the true you?

 

Warm thoughts,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

It takes a community

It takes a community

by | Feb 23, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Community, Compassion

Photo left to right standing: Ben Wallace, Pam Turcotte, Tara Burley, Deb Eaton, Adrienne Oldham,
Sara Gray, Mackenzie Seagram, Chair of the Board – Shawn Hiscott
Photo left to right on floor: Dr. Petra Woehrle, Mark Larkin, Julian Young, Dr. Belinda Seagram, Dan Mowatt-Rose

Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to move mountains.

We see it within our group programs, as Landing Strong members come together to support one another through good days and bad.

We also witness it through the actions of our Board of Directors, who work tirelessly to ensure Landing Strong is the best it can be. We remain committed to providing programs to anyone in need regardless of their funding status; the commitment of our Board allows us to acheive this.

Why would someone volunteer to be on a Board of Directors? The answer is simple; on some level, we all hold on to the same thing…Hope.

Hope is about not giving up, even when you feel beaten down.

It’s about extending a hand to someone who needs it.

Hope is about advocating for change and ensuring no one is left behind.

On a snowy Saturday afternoon, we recently gathered with our Board of Directors to envision our future; dreaming up strategies to ensure Landing Strong and the community we serve continues to thrive.

Many members of our Board have lived experience. We are grateful for their passion, insights, and dedication.

Together we remain strong.

Warm thoughts,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

Warm thoughts,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

We have your back

We have your back

by | Feb 16, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Challenge, Community, Compassion, Courage, Grief

This week, the residents of Kansas City struggled to come to terms with the horrific outcome of what was supposed to be a joyous event. One person was killed and more than 20 wounded following a shooting during the Super Bowl parade. This was the 48th mass shooting in the United States since the beginning of the year. That’s more than one a day. What used to be an outlier event has now become alarmingly normal.

While we might get used to hearing about such events on the news, it is never normal for those who are called to respond. Our hearts naturally go to the victims and their families. What is often overlooked is the devastating impact it has on the first responder community. We rush to treat those who are physically wounded, not always recognizing the psychological devastation left behind by these incidents. Often, they are hidden or take time to surface.

Seeing this event, I am reminded of how many Nova Scotians may be living with invisible injuries. We remain committed to ensuring that we have your back; that no-one who is injured is left standing alone.

We are immensely grateful for the work our first responders do.

Warm thoughts,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

Finding beauty in unexpected places

Finding beauty in unexpected places

by | Feb 9, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Community, Friday's Inspiration, Gratitude, Resilience, Self-Awareness

Late this past Saturday afternoon, as Nova Scotians were swept in a swirl of snow, Torontonians were bathed in unexpected sunshine.

Moderate temperatures and clear blue skies had coaxed even the most hesitant outdoors.

I was leaving the hospital after a good visit with my father and came upon an unexpected sight; on the slope of a large hill sat dozens of families and couples enjoying picnics. Behind them stood a large crowd of onlookers all gazing across the park below. I wondered if a concert was about to begin and thought maybe it had already started since many people had their cameras out, all pointed in the same direction. I could hear nothing, nor see anyone performing in the natural amphitheater below.

Then I realized what everyone was gazing at: a glorious sunset spreading its last rays over the skyline of the city. Like animals waking from deep hibernation, people had stumbled outdoors, dazed by the beauty of the mid-winter sun.

Even in the greyest of winters, we can find windows of warmth and light.

I hope that now you have dug yourselves out from under, you too are able to pause and catch glimpses of the unexpected beauty that surrounds us.

Warm thoughts in a wintery week,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong

The art of being present

The art of being present

by | Feb 2, 2024 | Belinda's Thoughts, Friday's Inspiration, Gratitude, Mindfulness, Self-Awareness

It is February 2nd – Groundhog Day.

Legend has it that if the groundhog emerges from its den and sees its shadow, it will retreat, and winter will slog on for another six weeks. If it doesn’t see its shadow, spring will arrive early. Judging by the amount of snow we’ve had this week winter is far from over.

In the early darkness of winter evenings, I sometimes catch myself wishing the days away, yearning for the warmth and light that come with spring. Dark winter nights can have a distinct Groundhog Day feel to them.

As much as I’m excited for the sunshine ahead, I’m determined to appreciate the season that I’m in. This past Monday brought with it a slate of school closings, a massive dump of snow and sporadic white out conditions. After considerable debate about whether we should go out for our lunchtime stroll, Mackenzie and I forged out to enjoy a surprisingly pleasant walk through the winter storm. From the inside it looked foreboding, but once outside we were able to appreciate the beauty of fresh snow, enjoying the squeals of laughter rising from children playing gleefully in a snowbank as we passed.

I feel the bite of winter air as I step out each morning and am reminded of the gift it is to wake up and commute to work on foot.

Don’t get me wrong – I’ll take blue skies over grey and a surplus of sunshine over shovelling snow any day of the week. But I’ll continue to practice presence and find gratitude on even the coldest of days.

Regardless of whether the groundhog sees its shadow or not, I hope you will join me in practicing the art of being present, and find some little ways to be grateful for the season that we are in.

I don’t believe that chunky rodent is clairvoyant anyway.

Even in the greyest of winters, we can find windows of warmth and light.

I hope that now you have dug yourselves out from under, you too are able to pause and catch glimpses of the unexpected beauty that surrounds us.

Warmly,

Belinda Seagram, Ph.D., R. Psych.
Executive Director, Landing Strong