Understanding Mental Health

Explore what’s really going on beneath the surface. Learn about anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, and how your brain and body work together to shape your emotional world.

Why Humour Matters for Mental Health: The Surprising Power of Laughter

Anxiety, Depression & Mood, Understanding Mental Health

Have you ever noticed that even on your hardest days, a good laugh can make things feel a little lighter? Humour won’t solve every problem. It won’t erase grief, anxiety, trauma, or stress. But it can provide something incredibly valuable: a moment of relief, connection, perspective, and hope. At Juniper Counselling, we believe that healing […]

Why Humour Matters for Mental Health: The Surprising Power of Laughter Read More »

Why Failing Matters More Than Never Trying

Emotional Regulation & Resilience, Understanding Mental Health

The Hidden Cost of Playing It Safe At Juniper Counselling, we meet many people who aren’t struggling because they’ve failed too much. They’re struggling because they’re terrified of failing at all. They stay in jobs that drain them. They avoid difficult conversations. They put off applying for school, starting a business, joining a group, asking

Why Failing Matters More Than Never Trying Read More »

handle or blanket

The Handle or the Blanket? A Different Way to Think About Mental Health Labels, ADHD, Anxiety & Diagnosis

Understanding Mental Health

At Juniper Counselling, we spend a lot of time talking with people about diagnoses, labels, and self-understanding. ADHD. Anxiety. Autism. Depression. Trauma. Burnout. Highly sensitive. Neurodivergent. For some people, these words are life-changing in the best possible way. For others, they become something heavy to carry. Either way, they are just labels to describe individual difference

The Handle or the Blanket? A Different Way to Think About Mental Health Labels, ADHD, Anxiety & Diagnosis Read More »

Thriving in High Stress Moments: How to Get Your Butterflies in Formation

Anxiety, Depression & Mood, Emotional Regulation & Resilience, Understanding Mental Health

Most of us prepare for specific events: The job interview The big presentation The competition The difficult conversation The first date The performance We rehearse what we’ll say.We imagine what might go wrong.We try to feel “calm” before it happens. But here’s a powerful reframe: Don’t just prepare for the event. Prepare for the experience

Thriving in High Stress Moments: How to Get Your Butterflies in Formation Read More »

emotional safety

The Safety Gap: Why Feeling Emotionally Safe Matters More Than Feeling “Fine”

Anxiety, Depression & Mood, Communication, Emotional Regulation & Resilience, Understanding Mental Health

Most people know how to say “I’m fine” even when their nervous system is not.We learn to push through, stay polite, stay productive, stay composed. On the outside, we look functional. On the inside, something feels tight, braced, or unsettled. At Juniper Counselling, we call this the Safety Gap — the space between appearing okay

The Safety Gap: Why Feeling Emotionally Safe Matters More Than Feeling “Fine” Read More »

When Coping Skills Stop Working: What Your Nervous System Might Be Asking For

Anxiety, Depression & Mood, Emotional Regulation & Resilience

You’ve tried the breathing exercises.You’ve journaled.You’ve gone for the walk, limited caffeine, and told yourself to “use your tools.” And still… nothing shifts. If coping skills that once helped don’t seem to work anymore, it doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. Often, it means your nervous system is overwhelmed — not unmotivated. At Juniper Counselling

When Coping Skills Stop Working: What Your Nervous System Might Be Asking For Read More »

rest

The 7 Types of Rest: Why Holiday Downtime Still Leaves Us Tired (and What to Do About It)

Anxiety, Depression & Mood, Emotional Regulation & Resilience

The holidays are often framed as a time to rest. Time off work. Slower mornings. Fewer meetings. And yet, many people arrive at January feeling depleted, foggy, or oddly unmotivated—wondering why all that “time off” didn’t translate into feeling restored. At Juniper Counselling, we often remind clients: rest isn’t one-size-fits-all. True rest goes far beyond

The 7 Types of Rest: Why Holiday Downtime Still Leaves Us Tired (and What to Do About It) Read More »

Overwhelm

What to Do When You’re Overwhelmed but Still High-Functioning

Emotional Regulation & Resilience, Understanding Mental Health

For people who look “fine” on the outside but feel exhausted on the inside. In Port Moody, Coquitlam, and the wider Tri-Cities, so many people are juggling demanding careers, families, caregiving roles, community commitments—and still showing up with a smile. On paper, everything looks “fine.” Inside? Not so much. This experience has a name: high-functioning

What to Do When You’re Overwhelmed but Still High-Functioning Read More »

Juniper Counselling Port Moody

2502 St. John’s Street Suite 305
Port Moody, BC
V3H 2B4

(778) 871-1211
[email protected]
Registered Counsellor Port Moody
BCPFFA endorsed
Scroll to Top