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The kindred blog
Finding Meaning at Work: How Job Satisfaction Shapes Your Whole Life
When you feel respected, engaged, and fulfilled on the clock, that good energy naturally spills over into your evenings, weekends, and relationships. But when work feels like a constant drain, that heavy feeling follows you right out the door.
You deserve more than just surviving the workweek. Finding a sense of satisfaction in what you do is a huge part of taking care of your overall mental health.
The September Shift: Navigating Life Transitions
While the calendar year starts in January, September is when real life seems to reset. Summer's easygoing pace gives way to packed schedules, early alarm clocks, and big life milestones.
If your household is feeling the weight of the new season, take a look at what might be going on behind the scenes and how to get through it together.
can therapy save your relationship?
If you’re looking for a simple answer, here it is: Yes and no.
When couples walk into our office at Kindred Roots Therapy in Okotoks and Inglewood, they often want a definitive answer about whether their relationship can be saved. The truth is that therapy itself isn't a magic wand. It serves as a mirror and a catalyst. Whether couples therapy becomes the thing that saves your bond depends entirely on what you bring to the table.
You Don't Have to Carry the Weight of the World to Care About It
There’s a huge difference between caring about what happens in the world and letting the news cycle consume your life. Burning yourself out on panic does not solve a crisis, and it deprives you of your own life. Find out how to protect yourself.
What to Do If You Look Cool on the Outside, but Panic on the Inside
On paper, you have it all together. You don’t miss deadlines, your friends know they can count on you, and to anyone looking in from the outside, you’re the epitome of calm, cool, and collected.
But the moment you sit down in a quiet room, the noise starts.
High-functioning anxiety is a very real state of being where anxiety doesn't paralyze you, it drives you. And while it might look like success from the outside, living with it feels like running a marathon on a treadmill that never stops.
How to Regulate Your Emotions When Things Go Sideways
Having big, messy, feelings is a beautiful, necessary part of being human but learning how to manage them so you’re not snapping at your partner, yelling in traffic, or shutting down completely is emotional regulation.
Let’s look at the quick resets you can use when you're in the thick of it, and the deeper work you can do over time to keep yourself grounded.
The Summer FOMO Effect: When Everyone Else’s "Perfect Plans" Are Hitting Your Mental Health
For many of us, the months between June and August don’t spark joy, it sparks anxiety. If looking at someone else’s beach trip or backyard BBQ makes your stomach drop with a heavy sense of inadequacy, you aren’t alone. You’re experiencing FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), and during the summer months, this psychological phenomenon goes into overdrive.
If You’re Using AI for Support, Read This First
A lot of people are already using AI to process their feelings — and honestly, we get it. But there are things about how these tools actually work that almost nobody is talking about. This post breaks down the risks, the benefits, and exactly how to use AI in a way that supports your therapy instead of quietly working against it.
Let’s Talk About Psychological Assessments: Why? When? & How?
What happens when you’re in therapy and you feel like you just need more answers? Maybe you or your child are struggling, and you just can’t quite put your finger on why.
If that sounds familiar, you might benefit from a psychological assessment. Think of it as getting a detailed owner's manual for your brain!
Pre-Parenthood Sessions to Build a Strong Family
Alongside the joy, the months leading up to the birth of a child can also be a time of significant stress and challenge. This time of transition can be one of the best times to lean into support and strengthen your connection as a couple with couples therapy from Kindred Roots Therapy in Okotoks.
Autism and Masking: Navigating Safety, Identity, and Self-Connection
In this precarious climate, it can feel unsafe for autistic people to express their authentic selves and live out the nuanced human experience that is autism. Mariah Braun, Kindred Roots Therapist, shares her perspective on masking as a neurodivergent person.
Helping Your Child Heal Through Play: A Guide for Okotoks Parents
As parents, we all want the best for our children. We strive to provide a loving, stable environment, but sometimes, even with the best intentions, our little ones face challenges that can be difficult for them to express. This is where play therapy can offer a unique and effective avenue for healing and growth.
Taming Your Inner Critic: A Guide to Quieting Self-Talk
Negative self-talk isn't just annoying; it can profoundly impact your mood, motivation, and overall well-being. But here's what the therapists at Kindred Roots want you to know: you have the power to change this narrative.
Sensitive Isn't a Flaw. It's a Trait.
Members of the Kindred Roots Book Club just finished reading ‘The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You’ by Elaine Aron. Here are my reflections on how understanding sensitivity as a trait, rather than a flaw can change your outlook on yourself, the people you love, and the world in general.
When Can AI Lend a Hand with your Mental Health? (and When Can't It?)
More and more people are turning to AI for a quick chat, some guided exercises, or just a little emotional pick-me-up. But here's the big question: Is this a good thing? And can a robot really help with something as human as your feelings? The short answer is: It's complicated, but potentially very useful! Especially if you're already working with a human therapist.
The Midlife Transition: Why Women Might Need Support Now
Midlife for women is mostly a period of massive physical, emotional, and mental shifts that can really mess with your head. For a lot of women, those years roughly between their 40s and 60s throw some curveballs that demand a bit more attention, and sometimes, support from a therapist or coach.
Feeling Anxious Lately? You're Not Alone, Okotoks! How Therapy Can Really Help
Ever feel like your brain's buzzing with worries, or your stomach's doing flip-flops for no good reason? You're definitely not alone. It seems like anxiety is everywhere these days, affecting folks of all ages, from our kids right up to our grandparents. Here at our clinic, we're seeing more and more people looking for ways to cope, and the good news is, there's a really effective path to feeling better: therapy.
Pride Month: More Than Just Rainbows and Parties – It's About Real Support
Pride Month is here! For a lot of us, it's a time for celebrating love, embracing who we are, and just having a good time. But beyond all the glitter and fun, Pride Month is important to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. As mental health professionals, we think it's super important to recognize, celebrate, and keep speaking up for this community.
Navigating the Dumpster Fire: Practical Tips for Mental Wellbeing in Turbulent Times
We all know the world's having a bit of a meltdown lately, right? So, how do we keep our heads when everything feels like a hot mess? Here are some practical tips to manage your mental well-being.
Therapist's Take on "The Let Them Theory" by Mel Robbins
For the February selection in our Kindred Roots Therapy Book Club, the book ‘The Let Them Theory’ from Mel Robbins, a popular motivational speaker and podcast host. A good portion of our team read it, including a few therapists. This is our collective book review.