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Janice Gill, MSW, RSW, RYT(200)

Janice Gill, MSW, RSW, RYT(200)

Recent Posts

A letter to my 20 year-old self… February 24, 2019
On bed-making: Lessons from the Swiss October 23, 2018
On Feeling Your Feelings October 22, 2018
Feel Your Feelings October 22, 2018
On making conscious choices: What do you mean you don’t eat avocados? October 21, 2018

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Consciousness. Compassion. Community.

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It’s not your job, it was never your job to suppress and sacrifice your own inner experiences in order to ensure another’s comfort. We assume these roles as an early-on survival strategy to ensure our caregivers are “okay,” ultimately, so our own most basic needs can be met by the people we are supposed to be dependent on. But it’s not our job. It was never our job. There was a disruption in the equation, and somewhere along the way, we got the message that others’ pain, suffering, discomfort were our responsibility. Maybe even “our fault?” Herein lie the roots of codependency. It’s a deeply ingrained pattern to unlearn. A helpful starting point is to practice self-observation—checking in with yourself, moment to moment, and asking, “What do I feel and what do I need right now?” It’s your turn. Time to show your self the same care and concern you showed and show for others. 💕

Life is funny. One day, you’re a uni student with such high anxiety that you drop a course upon first sight of a required presentation on the syllabus, and one day, you’re a professor, standing up at the front of the class, sharing this story, using your experience to connect with students experiencing similar feelings, while creating an atmosphere of safety, trust, and respect, so they can safely hone this important professional skill that so many dread and will never face. Experiencing safety in being seen, knowing that their “evaluator” has the utmost empathy and compassion, and that their colleagues are all in the same boat...if onnnlllyyy I knew then what I know now. Everyone was in my boat. Everyone was on my side. We were all in it together. We are all in this thing together. I know that for sure now. I have never so intensely had the feeling that I am right.where.i.need.to.be. And, it feels so good. 🙏🏼💕✨ 📸@lomillerphoto

Letting go is hard. Grief can arise in the letting go of the seemingly most toxic environments and relationships but that doesn’t mean we didn’t make the right or best decision for our selves. We can miss something or someone AND we can be better off without them✨

I hear all of the time, “I had great parents... They were very supportive,” and then, when I dig a little deeper, “How did your parent(s) respond [most of the time] when you were sad, mad, scared, hurt, etc?” Sometimes, the person will very clearly articulate the ways in which their parent(s) held space for their feelings and helped them manage them in a safe way, by naming, validating, and containing them—co-regulating. Many times though, people struggle to find examples to articulate such details...Perhaps, their parents were really good at finding solutions or trying to “fix” the problem, such as in the case of the mother that storms over to the school to inform the principal that her child’s peers are leaving them out...or, as often is the case, the people I meet with share that actually, they just “dealt with things on their own,” which, by the way, is not how we humans are designed. We are designed to need help, to depend on the bigger, wiser people around us to help us cope with and learn about life. Ultimately, for our survival. Parents can be “great” people, and, they can still struggle to effectively know how to help their kiddos with their big feels. They were once little people too, with probably the same or sadly, worse kind of experiences of being parented. So, it’s no disrespect to our parents when we talk about the difficulties that came up when we were little, and whether or not they were able to be present and attuned to our needs and respond in a sensitive manner.... but it does provide us with some important clues about why our present-day coping with stressors and/or big feels is challenging or why we may resort to using substances or distractions to manage our hard times and big feels. 🧠

New year, same old worthy and lovable you, who’s gonna try your best every day to do your best and be your best, to feel the best you can for you and the people around you, just as you have for each year that preceded 2020. Please be mindful of the highlight reels that are painted across social media today, friends—People sharing their wins, accomplishments, and achievements from the year, which is lovely, AND, your accomplishments might look different and that’s okay. Maybe you birthed a baby, lost a baby, got yourself sober, got yourself out of bed, or to a doctor, kept yourself alive, kept someone else alive, kept your car clean, your house clean, your record clean, opted for healthier coping strategies, changed a stubborn behaviour pattern, understood yourself a little better, loved yourself a little harder, got through intense grief, fell in love, initiated a break-up, practiced self-love, healed your inner child, set boundaries with your family, left a toxic work environment, took time off work to care for yourself or a family member, demonstrated bravery, spoke up, stood up, faced your fears, felt your feelings, .... and anything else in between that felt like a win to YOU! You do not need to have bought a house, published a book, received a promotion, launched an online program, gone on a lavish vacation to feel proud or grateful for the year you had. You did your best, navigating each day, each moment, with the resources you had available to you at the time... and, I assure you, you will continue to do the same this year. Wishing each and every one of you the courage, strength, and compassion to navigate each moment of 2020 in the best way you know how. And, hopefully, LIGHTLY. Here’s to all of the wins to come! 💕✨

Lessons learned from the last decade: I can survive off of very little and most of the things I think that I need are actually things that society tells me I should want. I’m still learning the difference every day but what I do know is that when I’ve had the least, I’ve grown and lived the most. It’s okay to lean on people. Other people’s problems are not my problems and other people’s feelings are not my responsibility. Mother Nature is a fundamental healer. Also, it’s okay to sometimes prefer the company of animals. Healing intergenerational trauma is hard friggin’ work. And, also, some of the most rewarding. People do the best they can with what they have. People are resilient and can overcome unspeakable events. Wherever you go, there you are: Sometimes, a change of scenery helps but if the demons you’re battling are mostly inside of yourself, they come along for the journey, no matter how far away you travel, until you deal with them. Friendships will come and go but the solid few that sustain will regularly breathe life into you. I am a highly sensitive, intuitive, introvert and empath, with a side of spicy Scorpio. A healthy mind and body and a light heart and spirit are my ultimate life strivings. In addition to being of service to others, and living abundantly. Speaking your truth is at times shit-scary but it’s the most liberating thing I have done. The more I share my truth, the more others around me seem to gravitate towards me and connect with me about theirs. It’s okay to take up space. Having an outlet for creative expression is essential for my wellbeing. No one really seems to know what they’re doing. We all just out here, winging it. Breath is the essence of life. And, regulated breathing is the key to a regulated nervous system, which is the key to a calm and present life. A relationship doesn’t have to be perfect or even good for that matter to be healing. Each one plays its part and/or teaches its lessons. There are stronger forces at play than our own life-plans, and much of it won’t go the way we anticipated but it will go just the way it was meant to. It won’t be perfect but it will be okay. Great, even. ✨💕✌🏼

Location & Contact Info

Inside Health Clinic
2486 Old Bronte Road Suite 107

Clinic Phone: (905) 842-6654