Which Mountain Do You Want to Climb?

Which Mountain Do You Want to Climb?

by | Oct 3, 2025 | Anxiety, Belinda's Thoughts, Challenge, Community, Courage, Friday Inspiration, Recovery, Virtual Community

Which Mountain Do You Want to Climb?

Those of you who know me know that I have a passion for adventure…and climbing mountains. I’ve climbed Mount Kilimanjaro three times, and this year, I’m preparing to climb it for the fourth. But this time, it won’t just be my journey; I want to take four Landing Strong community members with me.

The mountain has taught me many lessons, but perhaps the most important one is this: the summit isn’t the point. The real transformation happens long before you reach the peak. It happens in the training.

Climbing a mountain is not simply about fitness. It’s about shifting how we see ourselves; learning to let go of the limiting beliefs that whisper we’re not strong enough, not resilient enough, not ready.

The first time I prepared for Kilimanjaro, I didn’t actually climb it. My role was to lead the community service portion of the trip. Yet the months of preparation changed me. My husband and daughter summited that year. I remember watching my 12 year old daughter’s strength and determination. After they completed the climb, she told me I was capable, even when I didn’t fully believe it myself. And she was right. Sometimes we need someone else to hold the vision of who we might become until we are ready to see it ourselves.

So I offer you this question: which mountain do you want to climb this year?
Maybe it’s Kilimanjaro. Maybe it’s something closer to home. The climb might be a literal peak or a personal one. What matters is that you choose to begin, and that you’re willing to train; not just your body, but your heart, mind, and spirit.

This March, we will travel to Tanzania. Together we’ll spend a week on safari, a week doing community service, and a week on Mount Kilimanjaro. Our community service project this year is close to my heart: building a girls’ dormitory so that young women can safely pursue their high school education. The training begins soon, and it will require commitment, consistency, and courage.

This journey is led by my husband Joe Seagram, in partnership with King’s Edgehill School and Summits Africa.  It is alcohol-free, smoke-free and cannabis-free (cannabis is not legal in Tanzania). Because we will be traveling with King’s-Edgehill School, we’ll be in the company of incredible high school students.

Here’s how you can join us:

  • If you’re interested in being one of the four Landing Strong community members making the climb, please reach out to us directly at info@landingstrong.com
  • If you’d like to be part of the virtual training program and train alongside us from home, keep an eye on your inbox—we’ll be sending details very soon.

The summit may be a breathtaking moment—but it is not the goal. The goal is to discover what we are capable of along the way.

So I ask you again: which mountain do you want to climb?

Warmly,

 

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

The trouble with simple solutions

The trouble with simple solutions

by | Sep 26, 2025 | Balance, Belinda's Thoughts, Challenge, Courage, Growth, Recovery

The trouble with simple solutions

Working in the federal penitentiary, I was often faced with situations so complex they felt impossible to solve.

Sitting across from men whose lives had been shaped by violence, trauma, and loss, I sometimes felt overwhelmed by the enormity of their struggles. The stories were messy, and the pathways forward were anything but clear.

Ironically, it was in this environment that I learned one of my greatest lessons: the more difficult a problem, the more fundamental the solution. Not fundamental in the sense of easy, but rather, in terms of the things required. At the core, what people needed was not more rules or restrictions. They needed something many had never experienced before: love, trust, safety, compassion, and connection. Without those, no real healing could take place.

This truth extends far beyond prison walls. In today’s world, we are bombarded with overly simplistic answers to deeply complex problems: violence solves conflict; global warming doesn’t exist; autism can be explained simply by women having taken over-the-counter medication.  These reductionistic black-and-white explanations may feel tidy, but they leave no room space for the depth and nuance that real understanding and solutions require.

There is a danger in simplicity. If we cling to false simplifications, we diminish what makes us human: our ability to reason at a higher level, guided not by fear or blame, but by compassion, values, and respect.

The real solutions, the ones that heal, are never quick fixes. They require courage to sit with discomfort, patience to build trust, and openness to connect. They ask us to embrace complexity rather than run from it. And though it isn’t easy, this is where true change begins….

If you feel you or a loved one may be struggling, please feel free to reach out and contact us or visit the programs section of this website to see what we offer.  

 

Warmly,

 

 

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

Hard work to do, harder not to do it

Hard work to do, harder not to do it

by | Sep 19, 2025 | Balance, Belinda's Thoughts, Challenge, Change, Courage, Recovery

Hard work to do, harder not to do it

Processing trauma is hard not processing trauma is harder.  In an effort to protect ourselves we can shy away from things that are scary or difficult.  But ironically, it’s these very efforts to shield ourselves that keep us injured.  

Some people progress quickly once they begin treatment while others might feel frustrated that they’re not progressing as they would like.  It’s at such moments that we must ask ourselves ‘what am I shying away from that I should be leaning in to?’

It’s behind the doors we least want to open that ultimately lie the greatest treasures.  If we can just find the courage to explore, chances are good, that we’ll be rewarded with a shift in perspective. Therein lies the healing.

Is there something you’re ready to lean into?  Perhaps our Landing Strong door is a good place to start.  

We’re currently loading up a few great group programs.  It’s not too early to get on the list.

Maintaining Health is Thursday September 18th
Identity & Transition is on Fridays: September 26th, October 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th
Advanced Skills in Trauma Recovery is on Tuesdays: November 18, 25, December 2, 9, and 16

Warmly,

 

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

When freedom meets responsibility

When freedom meets responsibility

by | Aug 22, 2025 | Anxiety, Belinda's Thoughts, Communication, Compassion, Courage, Wellbeing, Wisdom

When Freedom Meets Responsibility

I’ve always found my deepest sense of calm in the woods; it’s my sanctuary. So when the recent restrictions came into effect, limiting access to forested trails, I felt a surge of frustration. It seemed unnecessary, even intrusive, as though a small but important freedom was being taken from me.

A few days ago, while walking the Blockhouse Loop I spotted a man standing over dry grass, cigarette in hand. Ashes dropped onto the tinder-dry vegetation at his feet. I felt a spike of alarm. I approached him gently, asking him to move to the paved area, pointing out the risk of fire and our shared responsibility to take extra care. He laughed, smiled, and thankfully, complied.

It was after this moment that my perspective shifted. Common sense I realized, isn’t always common. Sometimes restrictions exist because not everyone takes precautions on their own. Rather than being resentful I now hold deep respect for those tasked with maintaining safety for all.

My gratitude extends too, to the first responders working tirelessly to contain the wildfires sweeping our provinces. The few hours of smoke we inhaled last Saturday were but the faintest hint of what they endure daily.

Freedom I’ve learned isn’t only about what I want. It’s about choosing care for the greater good.

We’re currently filling two great group programs, and fall is the perfect time to join us.  We have Identity & Transition coming up on Fridays September 19, 26, October 3, 10, 17.  We also are loading up our popular Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program September 9th, 16th, 23rd, October 2nd (Thursday), 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th. (945am to noon)
Optional 3-hour retreat Nov 4th. (9 to noon)

Contact Julie to learn more and to get on the list! 902-472-2972 or info@landingstrong.com 

 

Warmly,

 

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

Finding our way together

Finding our way together

by | Aug 15, 2025 | Belinda's Thoughts, Communication, Community, Growth, Leadership, Support, Wisdom

Finding our way together

The other day was incredibly hot. Joe was out of town, so I found myself in charge of our three dogs. Normally, on days like this, we’d head to Grey Mountain to let them cool off in the river.

“I can do this,” I thought to myself, even though I have absolutely zero sense of direction.

We made our way up the mountain, and just as we started, the sky opened into a sudden, freak thunderstorm. The first part of the trail went smoothly, and feeling braver than usual, I decided to try a second loop.

Big mistake.

Within minutes, I was turned around, completely soaked, and had no idea where I was. After ninety minutes wandering in rain-drenched clothes, with poor 13-year-old Nara struggling to keep up, I began imagining what I might need to do if we were stuck out there overnight.

Then, by sheer luck, a chance turn brought me back to the right road, and there was my car, appearing from the opposite direction than I’d expected. Relief washed over me.

Reflecting back, it struck me how tempting it is to tell ourselves we can handle things alone. And often, we can. But that doesn’t always mean it’s the wisest, or kindest choice.

Trauma recovery isn’t so different. Just because you can try to navigate it by yourself doesn’t mean you should.

There’s strength in reaching out. In choosing to walk the trail alongside others who understand the twists and turns.

At Landing Strong, that’s exactly what we’re here for: to help you find your way, even when the path feels unclear.

You don’t have to do it alone. And truly, you were never meant to.

Warmly,

 

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

We never really know what’s to come

We never really know what’s to come

by | Jul 25, 2025 | Belinda's Thoughts, Caregivers, Challenge, Compassion, Gratitude, joy, Love, Self-Care

 We never really know what’s to come

Eighteen months ago, my 92-year-old father was told he likely had between two weeks and two months to live. At the time, we braced ourselves, quietly preparing for goodbye. But here we are, another summer unfolding, and happily he’s still with us.

Life for him is much simpler now. Though he can no longer hold a paintbrush, his artist’s eye remains beautifully intact. As I take him for slow strolls through the neighbourhood in his wheelchair, he soaks in the details: the deep blue of the hydrangeas, the dappled light through the trees, the subtle shifts of colour in the sky. His gaze lingers, noticing what many of us miss in our hurry.

He smiles kindly at passersby, waves hello to strangers, and sometimes when the noise of the world becomes too much, he quietly removes his hearing aid, choosing instead the peace of his own inner world. It’s not withdrawal; it’s discernment. A gentle choice to rest in stillness.

There’s something profoundly moving in witnessing how he navigates this time, not with fear or regret, but with gratitude. His presence reminds me that while we can’t control how long we have, we can choose how we show up each day.

There is a grace in how he has accepted life on life’s terms, no resistance, no panic. Just a deep, abiding appreciation for what is, rather than what might be.

There’s a lesson in that.

We often try to predict and plan, to carve certainty out of uncertainty. But life doesn’t follow our timelines or expectations. It offers both hardship and hope in unpredictable measure.

Whether you’re in a season of grief, healing, or quiet joy, may you find space to breathe deeply and take in the moment.  None of us truly knows how much time we have, but there is beauty in the not knowing. Sometimes, the greatest gift is simply another summer.

It’s not too early to late to sign up for Community Connections Monday.  We’ll have fun with a game or two of Disc Golf.  No experience necessary.   

Please contact Julie to sign up: info@landingstrong.com or 902-472-2972. 

 

Warmly,

 

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