NorthStar Counselling Services

705-768-8703

allyson@northstarptbo.ca

351 Charlotte Street,
Suite 202
Peterborough, ON

Blog

What does spring mean to you?

What does spring mean to you?

Spring means many things to many people: faith celebrations such as Easter, respite from Winter, housecleaning, new life … Around this time of year, two years ago, I received these items in the mail and wrote the following … Dyes, kistka/stylus and beeswax Yesterday...

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Why is psychotherapy so expensive?

Why is psychotherapy so expensive?

Why is psychotherapy so expensive? You’re right. Therapy can be pricey – anywhere from $80 - $300 per hour. What’s with the price tag? Many therapists are running their own private practice or clinic. Therapy is in high demand and people are beginning to realize that...

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What’s love got to do with it?

What’s love got to do with it?

Now that’s a good question! Was Tina Turner right? Is it really a second-hand emotion? … Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken? Every language has numerous words that are translated as love. They range from the erotic to the  platonic to the altruistic to the...

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To remember is to work for peace

To remember is to work for peace

The first time I ever saw a live poppy was around this time of year in Belgium, in Flanders fields. Looking out the window, we’re reminded of the changing seasons and post-harvest. There’s a fairly depressing poem that was recorded in song in the mid-1940’s: Les...

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Dark Days

Dark Days

I read an article about how settlers could engage in the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. There were many good ideas, however, none of them included actually having a relationship with an Indigenous person. What does it mean to wear an orange shirt if...

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Happy New (School) Year!

Happy New (School) Year!

I was looking for a 2022 calendar and came across ‘academic calendars’ that begin in September. It made me think whether or not my year begins in September or January. I came to the conclusion that, maybe, it’s a bit of both.  For much of my life, the beginning of...

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All or Nothing, or Somewhere in Between?

All or Nothing, or Somewhere in Between?

Over the summer, we tend to kick off our shoes, wiggle our toes in the sand (or pick up a paddle), and heave a sigh of contentedness. We can open the front and back doors and let the breeze blow our dust bunnies away. Meals are more of the plain-and-simple variety,...

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REFLECTIONS – My First Decade

REFLECTIONS – My First Decade

During July, I begin another decade of my life … and this one is a doozie, so I figure I’m going to celebrate it all year!  Occasionally, I ask clients to do an exercise that involves making a timeline of the most significant events of their lives, from birth to the...

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Summer is a time to relax, refresh and reboot

Summer is a time to relax, refresh and reboot

As the weather warms up, we begin to think of the end of school and sliding into summer. For some, that’s a blessing; for others, it may feel like a curse. Your perspective may depend on whether or not you have children at home, how you’ve been faring so far, and...

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Who and what is a mother?

Who and what is a mother?

Mother’s Day can be difficult for some people – for both those whose mothers have died and for those who wonder what “motherhood” is really all about … including me. In Taoist philosophy, there is the concept of yin and yang, “opposites that are needed in order for...

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