When Bankei was preaching at Ryumon temple, a Shinshu priest, who believed in salvation through the repetition of the name of the Buddha of Love, was jealous of his large audience and wanted to debate with him. Bankei was in the midst of talk when the priest appeared, but the fellow made such a disturbance […]
New Mind for the New Year: Reclaiming Our Scattered Attention Read More »
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so goes the carol. But is it really? December days are dreary and dark. Rain presses down, and the chill of winter seeps into our bones. It’s hard to rise from bed. The holidays brim with stress: children’s activities and social occasions every week. The shopping spree unleashes madness in the malls, leaving consumers
The Darkest Season of the Year: Notes on Difficult Family Gatherings Read More »
As a counselling therapist, I listen to people everyday. It’s a demanding skill that requires constant practice. Listening is the crux of my profession, but it also feeds my soul and nourishes my mind. I hold a space for others to the best of my ability. Often this means bracketing aside my reactions and meeting
The Danger of Deep Listening Read More »
Shakespeare described the human form as a “mortal coil” that we shuffle off in death. For Hamlet, life is a dreary work that holds neither mirth nor meaning. To slip the mortal coil is to find release from the sorrows that batter us. Yet, there may be another view of mortality that belies Hamlet’s bleak
In Praise of Mortal Coil Read More »
When set in the very midst of troubles one should say: Perchance some day the memory of this sorrow will even bring delight. Seneca, Letters From a Stoic. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that began in the 1950s and 60s, based on the work psychotherapists like Aaron T. Beck and Albert
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy? Read More »
Mindfulness has enjoyed a stellar career in the last 30 years. Rooted in Buddhist meditation, mindfulness is now widely practiced in schools, hospitals, companies, and therapy offices across North America. This blooming popularity stems from its reputation as a portal to inner stillness, a balm that soothes the stress of modern life. Scientists have gathered compelling evidence that
The Misuses of Mindfulness Read More »
People come to counselling because they are hurting. Something has gone awry. A relationship ends, a career stalls, health declines. Clients come in search of healing and repair in the throes of adversity. Counselling therapy can be helpful as we navigate the difficult passages of life. However, if therapy is only for times when things
Living a Beautiful Life: Habits for Mental Health Read More »
One of the challenges of growing older is dealing with the panic that comes with time’s passing. The days might be long, but the weeks are short. The years are merciless. The slip of vanishing days catches us in terror. We realize that this march of mortality is indifferent to our protest, oblivious to our
Faith without Belief: How to Face the Terror of Living Read More »
Hirayama is not a hero. He is not an allegorical figure who represents the plight of everyman. He is a plain individual, singular in his simplicity, ordinary by all measures. Yet in living his mundane life, we see the quiet dignity of someone who marvels at the splendour of each day. Wim Wenders, (Paris, Texas
Living Our Perfect Days Read More »
I heard someone complain once: “I want my friends to listen and my therapist to give my advice. But it turns out, my therapist listens and my friends give me advice.” This observation raises questions about the role of therapists in relation to friendship. What we seek in friendships – understanding, sympathy, solidarity – is
Is Counselling Therapy a Form of Paid Friendship? Read More »
David Chang Counselling is gratefully located on the territories of the the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. David supports and celebrates diversity in race, gender, sexual orientation, language, culture, and neurological composition.
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