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

Finding your inner Cindy Lou Who

Finding your inner Cindy Lou Who

by | Dec 15, 2023 | Belinda's Thoughts, Community, Creativity, Friday's Inspiration, joy

Finding your inner Cindy Lou Who

The snow falls in heavy wet patches on my windshield as I strain to see through the slush that is accumulating.

I grumble under my breath as I feel the wheels of my car swerve on the greasy roads.

“Winter is here” I sigh grumpily in a resigned manner. Arriving home, I trudge up the porch and lug my groceries onto the counter.

I’ve only been inside a few minutes when squeals of delight and shrieks of laughter prompt me to stick my head back outside.

What greets me is a sight for sore eyes. On the soccer pitch in front of our house are thirty Mexican students, their first year in Canada, rolling around gleefully in the fluffy white snow. They dive tackle and hurl snowballs at one another, breathing in the excitement and electric thrill of their first ever snowfall.

What was initially cause for dismay, the first big dump of snow, has suddenly been transformed into something magical. Something as simple as being reminded of the beauty of the season’s first snowfall has served to change my perspective.

Alone, I am the Grinch. Through connection with others, I find my inner Cindy Lou Who.

Group can do that. Alone with our thoughts, it can be hard at times to view things through an alternate lens. With input from others, our world transforms.

We are currently enrolling for our January Emotions management program. If you have not yet taken it, please contact us soon to avoid disappointment.

Stay warm and young at heart,

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

The powerful interesectin of creativity and resilience

The powerful interesectin of creativity and resilience

by | Dec 1, 2023 | Belinda's Thoughts, Creativity, Friday's Inspiration, Growth, joy, Mindfulness, Recovery

The powerful interesection of creativity and recovery

Look at what happens when we trust what good things lie within.

Inside each of us is a hidden artist, with a creative spark waiting to be released. It may not yet know how to express itself, but it lies dormant, waiting to be discovered.

As those who are injured begin to get better, they often reconnect with their creative selves. We see it at Maker’s during our monthly Maintaining Health groups; we witness it in our staff team meetings as people’s hearts take watercolor shape on paper. Most recently, this has been revealed in our waiting room, when Fern proudly showed us an incredible piece of her art – a handcrafted, felted, Islandic inspired wool carpet, which she magically produced in just 3 days.

Such is the power when creativity and recovery intersect.

Warm thoughts, 

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

Relishing our time together

Relishing our time together

by | Nov 3, 2023 | Belinda's Thoughts, Communication, Creativity, Friday's Inspiration

Relishing our time together

Last week I was speaking with Jen Whalen who shared that she recently made relish with her Mum Ann, who many of you may know through our sessions at Maker’s.

They use an old recipe card that has been lovingly handed down. It is worn, stained and the cursive writing makes it look more like an old love-letter than a recipe. Jen’s Mum thoughtfully chooses the produce from local farmers and her own garden and together they wash, peel, chop, and grind, while mason jars steam on baking racks to prepare for preservation.

Together they reminisce about childhood, and each year learn more about one another. With a smile Jen secretly admitted to that she’s not actually a huge relish fan. But she does love to share it with those who are. Finding a pretty label attaching a hand-written note, securing it with twine and handing to a friend is a simple activity that brings her great joy.

It’s all about the little things, opportunities to connect, giving to others. When we take the time to notice what small seemingly insignificant things bring us joy, we can intentionally set ourselves up for more.

Warm thoughts,

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

Mindfulness moments on Nova Scotia’s craggy shores

Mindfulness moments on Nova Scotia’s craggy shores

by | Aug 4, 2023 | Balance, Creativity, Friday's Inspiration, Gratitude, Mindfulness

Mindfulness moments on Nova Scotia’s craggy shores

We recently learned that many of our Landing Strong community members are rock hounds. I thought it was just me, wandering the beaches of Nova Scotia gleefully gathering prized specimens. It turns out, it’s a shared passion. We are united in the joy we glean from finding beauty in our craggy shores.

Is there something simple and beautiful that helps you keep your thoughts in the moment?

– Appreciating the afterglow of a sunset as the pink hue reflects on water.
– Enjoying a cool iced tea on a hot day.
– Hearing the sound of waves crashing on a long expanse of sandy beach.

It’s often the simple things that ground us. Rather than actively working to problem solve the future, or process the past, these activities hold our attention, actively engaging us in the present. There is something calming about going out in the world with the sole intention of nothing bigger than finding the next great rock.

Warm thoughts,

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

The beauty in vulnerability

The beauty in vulnerability

by | Apr 14, 2023 | Belinda's Thoughts, Community, Creativity, Friday's Inspiration, Recovery

The beauty in vulnerability

Fifteen years ago, I wrote a book about my experiences working as a psychologist in a federal penitentiary. It’s dark, haunted, and not surprisingly, unpublished. It remains an important part of me, and I can appreciate it from a new perspective now. The work in the prison was powerful but not something I could do long term while maintaining my health.

I’ve always found it helpful to use creative forms of self-expression as a way of processing my emotions. I’m working on a new book now, and it feels very different, almost as though a different author is writing it. Where I am today is very different to how I felt fifteen years ago.

Creative self-expression is a theme that has been prominent in our Landing Strong community members as well. As people recover, they are able to show themselves to the world through their work; be it photography, art, woodworking or writing.

Each piece is very different, but they are similar in that they are accurate reflections of that person’s experience. I’ve come to appreciate that what makes art beautiful is not only the piece itself, but the honesty and vulnerability that went into creating it.

Warm thoughts,

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