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By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: April 9, 2026 The Feeling of a Fresh Start Spring has a way of inviting us to start fresh. As the snow melts and sunlight returns, many of us feel an urge to open windows, shake off the heaviness of winter, and bring new energy into our homes. This instinct isn’t just about tidying up—it’s deeply connected to our mental health. Spring cle

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: April 2, 2026 When Things Aren’t Always What They Seem Just yesterday many of us experienced April Fool’s Day—a day filled with playful pranks, jokes, and surprises. Sometimes the jokes are harmless and funny, sometimes they catch us off guard, and sometimes they remind us that things aren’t always what they appear to be. There’s somethin

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: March 19, 2026 Standing on the Edge of a New Season As we approach the first day of spring on March 21, many of us can feel the shift coming. The light lingers a little longer in the evenings, the air softens, and there’s a subtle sense that winter is loosening its grip. For some, this brings relief and hope. For others, it brings res

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: March 19, 2026 When Parenting Doesn’t End—But the Relationship Does Separation and divorce change many things, but one thing remains constant: children still need parenting—often more than ever. One of the most common questions I hear in therapy is: “What is the healthiest way to parent our children now that we’re separated?” The answer i

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: March 12, 2026 When the World Feels Like Too Much Many people are walking around right now with a quiet sense of unease. Even when life at home feels relatively stable, the world beyond our doors can feel unpredictable and heavy. Global conflict, political unrest, climate-related disasters, economic uncertainty, and constant media exp

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: March 5, 2026 Living in Uncertain Times It’s hard to ignore the collective anxiety in the world right now. Global conflict, political instability, climate-related disasters, economic strain, and rapid social change are part of our daily news cycle. Even if we’re not directly impacted, our nervous systems absorb this information constantly

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: February 27, 2026 When Is Something a Disorder? In mental health, there’s an important distinction that often gets overlooked: a trait or pattern is only considered a disorder when it causes significant distress or impairment in daily functioning. Many characteristics we label as “symptoms” exist on a spectrum. Attention to detail. He

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: February 12, 2026 When a Holiday Brings Mixed Feelings Valentine’s Day is often marketed as a celebration of couples. Restaurants fill with candlelight, social media fills with roses and grand gestures, and love is presented as something that must be publicly paired to be valid. For many people, that narrative fits. For many others, i

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Mother of Five Posted: February 5, 2026 We live in a world that celebrates noise. Productivity. Progress. Big announcements. Milestones that can be measured, posted, and applauded. We are often taught—directly or indirectly—that if something isn’t visible, busy, or impressive, then it isn’t meaningful. But some of the most important seasons of our lives are the quiet ones. And they matter more than we realize

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: January 29, 2026 The Midwinter Slump By the end of January, many of us feel the weight of winter more deeply. The glow of the holidays has faded, resolutions may already feel hard to keep, and the days remain short and cold. This season often brings what I call the midwinter slump—a stretch of fatigue, low mood, and irritability that makes it hard to stay motivated. It’s n

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: January 22, 2026 January as a Reset January is often called the “reset month.” The energy of the holidays has faded, the decorations are boxed away, and the long Canadian winter stretches ahead. Many of us feel pressure to set new goals, reinvent ourselves, or chase “big change.” But what if January wasn’t about pushing harder? What if January was about checking in—with ou

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: January 15, 2026 The Weight of January January has a mood all its own. The holiday lights are packed away, the festive cheer has faded, and what remains is the long, cold stretch of winter. For many, January feels heavy. Financial pressures are often sharper this time of year. The bills from December arrive, alongside the reality of rising costs and tight budgets. The days

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: January 8, 2026 The Pressure of...

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: January 1, 2026 A Fresh Page The...

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: December 25, 2025 The Meaning of...

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: December 18, 2025 A Different...

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: December 11, 2025 The Holiday...

By Lindsay McMullin, BSc, MA, RCT-C Posted: December 4th, 2025 It's that magical time of year when the air is full of cheer... or something like that. At the risk of sounding cynical, the holidays, and December in general, can be a challenging time for many people. The increasing social commitments, excessive spending associated with Christmas shopping, and the constant pressure of unrealistic expectations about what the holidays "should" be can be overwhelming. Additionally,

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: November 27, 2025 A First Rodeo to Celebrate At the end of this month, we’ll be celebrating something very special: my granddaughter Mara’s first birthday. The theme her parents chose is “My First Rodeo.” It’s playful, adorable, and such a fun way to mark the milestone of her first year of life. But as I’ve been planning for her celebration, I’ve been reflecting on that ph

By Alix Munro ,BA, MA, RCT-C, CCC Posted: November 20th, 2025 It took me seven years to finish my undergrad. Seven. Years. For context, that’s the same length of time it takes to become a doctor, or the length of time it feels like it’s been trying to get my son to use the potty. At the time, I couldn’t figure out why I was moving at the pace of a snail with an existential crisis. Failing the same two courses over and over again, while excelling in others. Fast forward to age