What’s the difference between shyness and social anxiety? Though this might sound like the setup for a bad joke, social anxiety disorder is nothing to laugh about. It’s rough out there for anyone who suffers from this insidious, often-overlooked condition, feeling a fear of going out into society and being amongst people on a day-to-day...
Author: Ottawa Youth Counselling (Ottawa Youth Counselling)
Overcoming Exam Anxiety in Ottawa
With exam time approaching, many students find themselves stressed – more than usual, even. Is it the pressure to do well? Do youth feel a burden placed by society (teachers, parents, et al)? Perhaps its in our competitive nature as human beings? Whatever the reasons, a clear link exists between exams and anxiety. We’ll delve...
Cyberbullying: What is Your Role as a Parent?
If you’re a parent, you’ve surely heard the term “cyberbullying.” You may be more familiar with it than you wish, especially if your son or daughter has been a victim of cyberbullying. Or perhaps you’ve heard the phrase but have little more than a vague idea of what it actually refers to. In either...
What Yelling Does to A Child (and How to Stop It)
Yelling. We’ve all been there. At one point or another, our frustration levels peak high on (or off!) the charts. Sometimes it’s a gradual climb to that place. At other times, it’s a rapid spike. Why? After all, at heart, we don’t want to yell. We don’t feel good about yelling, at least not afterward....
Identifying and Treating Teen Depression & Anxiety in Ottawa
Have you noticed a shift in behaviour of your child or teen? Does he or she seem to be struggling more, appearing to feel either sad and tired, or tense and worried? Or perhaps a combination of all these things? It is possible that they’re dealing with depression and/or anxiety. Then again, it’s also possible...
How to Treat the Back to School Blues
As summer winds down, Back to School time in Ottawa is upon us. <nbsp;> Let’s be honest: not many people actually look forward to this time of year. And why should you?! You’ve been enjoying the summer, able to sleep in, not have a schedule imposed on you, and getting to spend quality time with...