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By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: May 28, 2026 The Quiet Work of Growth A couple of weeks ago, we planted our box garden at home. There’s something grounding about putting your hands in the soil—choosing what to plant, spacing things out, watering everything just right… and then waiting. At first, nothing looks different. The soil looks the same. There are no visible sign

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling &Therapy Inc. Posted: May 21, 2026 When Conflict Doesn’t Stay Between Two People In relationships and families, conflict is inevitable. But how we manage that conflict makes all the difference. One pattern I often see in therapy—especially in families, co-parenting dynamics, and high- conflict relationships—is something called triangulation. Triangulation happe

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: May 14, 2026 A Birthday in the Mountains I’m writing this from the beautiful province of Alberta, where yesterday, May 13, I celebrated my 41st birthday. We spent the day in Banff—taking in the mountains, standing in awe at Lake Louise, and simply being out in nature. This has been a bucket list trip of mine for a long time. I wanted to v

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: May 7, 2026 The Beauty—and Weight—of Mother’s Day Mother’s Day is often portrayed as a picture-perfect celebration—flowers, breakfast in bed, smiling children, and heartfelt appreciation. And while those moments are real and meaningful, they are only part of the story. For many mothers, this day can also bring up something quieter and hea

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling &Therapy Inc. Posted: April 30, 2026 The Pace of Spring By the time we reach the end of April, life often feels like it has shifted into a faster gear. The longer days and warmer weather invite us outdoors, schedules become fuller, and many people begin juggling work, family responsibilities, school events, and social activities that naturally increase during t

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling &Therapy Inc. Posted: April 23, 2026 The Day After Earth Day Yesterday, April 22, marked Earth Day, a time when people across the world pause to reflect on our relationship with the planet we live on. Throughout April—often referred to as Earth Month—many conversations focus on sustainability, environmental responsibility, and caring for the natural world. Whil

By Rose Degenhardt, MA, RCT, CCC Registered Counselling Therapist | Founder & Clinical Director, Venture Counselling & Therapy Inc. Posted: April 16, 2026 When Stress Becomes Part of the Background Stress is something most of us experience daily. In small doses, it can motivate us, help us meet deadlines, and push us to grow. But when stress becomes constant—lingering quietly in the background of our lives—it can begin to affect both our mental and physical health. Many peopl

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...