Welcome October!

October has revealed itself with some glorious warm weather. This month always reminds me of the beginning of a series of family gatherings with Thanksgiving, topped off by the fun of Halloween.

So-how do you feel about family gatherings? Do you look forward to them, or do you dread them as an obligatory form of torture? Perhaps for you, they are a bit of both? None of us choose our biological families or families of origin, and while many people find great joy in their family, others find great sorrow.

Perhaps you are estranged from your family, or their numbers have dwindled over the years. Does the arrival of Thanksgiving and other holidays make you feel sad or alone? Do you feel at a loss to change this?

Many people that I see in my practice talk about their “family of choice”. This could be friends, relatives or even volunteer work. They have purposely chosen a group of people to be close to. They have purposely chosen this group of people because they treat them with love and respect, and they feel they can be their authentic selves while in their company.

This group can be large or small with one thing in common: mutual choice.

Something to consider for those who are sad or lonely and seeking a connection with others. If that is you, try reaching out to just one person that you feel authentic with and see what happens.

If you believe counselling might be the support you need to achieve a happier life, please get in touch.

You will find our links here: https://luminohealth.sunlife.ca/en/health-care-provider-profile/social-worker/mills-lunman-counselling/jai-mills-965957-965956/ Social Work services are covered by many extended health benefit plans.

Or, though findasocialworker.com

Or, of course, our contact information is on the contact page on this site.

We look forward to hearing from you…

Happy October!