We are on a trip to California for our December birthdays and wedding anniversary and I couldn’t imagine a more mindful place to be. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pa_DVAmmTzY Nature everywhere we look. Luminous moonlight. Dancing campfire. Fresh ocean air. Water as far as the eye can see. Sunshine in every nook. 100 year old fig trees. Just outside... Continue Reading →
When we feel a painful emotion, our first instinct is to pull away. To numb the pain. To hide from the intensity. This was the case for Sarah and Jack, two unique individuals with vastly different circumstances. But they each experienced the same emotion: loneliness. An emotion that is heightened during the holidays. SARAH Sarah... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVfeKg78fEY Catch Pause Repair (CPR) is a Framework for Sustainable Mental Health & Resilience Habits. CPR includes three simple steps as outlined in the video. 1. Catch Catch yourself before a stress response escalates by becoming more aware of what triggers you. 2. Pause Pause and take a 60 second time out when you feel... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlkaArLVg28 Psychology Keynote In this video you will hear the remarkable stories of teachers, social workers, and principals who suffered greatly through illness, injuries, and difficult pregnancies. Eventually rising up with time and support to greater heights in their current lives. Personal Experience In this video I share examples of how my parents coped with dark times... Continue Reading →
PUBLIC SPEAKING TIP How to Turn Fear into Excitement Neuroscience Solutions & Insights Did you know that fear and excitement share the same set of neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine. Opposite emotions. Identical neurotransmitters. Same neural activity. Different Cognitive Appraisal. And the best way to shift from performance anxiety to excitement is to say... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/I08EUaQ8g9Y Reevaluate Your Approach to Mental Health Instead of thinking of mental health as a burden you must shoulder, imagine it as an opportunity to experience peace and joy. In the same way that we make time for our physical needs, we must devote equal attention to our psychological needs. Original Source — The Drive... Continue Reading →
H old O n P ain E nds During difficult times, I often tell myself: “What a difference a day makes.” This one simple sentence helps me to remember that tomorrow is a brand new day. Illuminating the possibility that what looks like the end in that dark moment, could in fact be preparing me... Continue Reading →
Stop saying “Um,” or “Ah,” during speeches with this one simple tip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpr9HR-Ur2I&feature=youtu.be The next time you have a speech to give, try taking a pause between thoughts. In doing so, you allow your message to sink in. Giving yourself and the audience a much needed break. Allowing time for everyone to digest the information.... Continue Reading →
https://youtube.com/shorts/O-UOPC4wEAI?si=gUNXEk5J5PVB4ekC Boundaries, Personality, and Saying No Do you have a difficult time saying no? While others in your life say no without a second thought. Is this confusing and at times upsetting for you? Are you hard on yourself because of this discrepancy between yourself and others? You may be interested to discover that Saying... Continue Reading →
Why Can't I Remember Anything? One of the most frequent questions I was asked as a practicing psychologist and more recently as a psychology professor is why can't I remember anything. The problem is most likely a focusing issue — not a memory issue. An important distinction between memory and attention that I share in... Continue Reading →
Psychology in Your Life The intention for this post is to introduce you to one aspect of the diagnostic process — specifically: differential diagnosis. And ultimately to help you understand that psychological assessment is a complex, worthwhile process. What’s normal 🆚 clinical? To answer that question, I would like to invite you into my clinical psychology class. ... Continue Reading →
I have one intention in mind when I walk into a classroom: How can I warm up the room? Enthusiasm is contagious! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J4oL093oU0 In this short video I share the thoughts that go through my mind as I walk into a classroom and meet my psychology students for the first time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8uxAo-kfnE I also discuss the specifics of... Continue Reading →
This post is for anyone experiencing FOMO. Particularly on a long weekend holiday! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I2P5VhC-Ih8 Psychology Insight: Holidays heighten social anxiety of every kind. FOMO especially. Consider these questions as you explore what’s going on below the surface. 1. Do you remember the first time you experienced FOMO? 2. How did you cope with the anxiety... Continue Reading →
Nathalie Begin author of the Gutsy Feeling Blog invited me to give a positive psychology workshop called Optimism Bootcamp at a Symposium for Crohn’s & Colitis Canada. The audience was filled a very special group of people. Individuals that have been battling the chronic condition of Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) their whole lives. Optimism and Health... Continue Reading →
LESSONS LEARNED In this post, I share the lessons learned at a thriving teams thriving leaders board retreat. It was a true team effort! With the team-building and leadership exercises equally led by the student leaders and myself. Please join in and explore the reflection questions, interactive activities, and workshop videos with the teams... Continue Reading →
Glimpse inside my classroom https://youtube.com/shorts/-KbyDnDI4QA?si=bKM7kj8bFdvcg9_q TRADITIONAL VERSUS POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY "While traditional psychology focuses its attention on pathology and problems, in the relatively new field of positive psychology, researchers strive to explore and understand the strengths of individuals that contribute to their flourishing." Source: Psychology Guide https://youtu.be/qGg70RIiUR8 PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION Strengths first I am passionate about... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=119i-Qv-ep0 "Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation." Viktor E. Frankl Psychology Article: https://www.thedrivemagazine.com/posts/the-stories-we-tell-ourselves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KbyDnDI4QA Reflections on Happiness One of my favourite things to do as a professor is to stay after class and talk to students about what hit home for them about each week’s lecture. Fresh Perspective Students look at the world in a very unique way. Motivating me to think about psychology at a whole different... Continue Reading →
Psychology Class In today's health psychology class, we discussed how to empower someone with a chronic illness. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iPqZ6pIgSJA Acknowledging that even though we are experts in psychology, nursing, etc., this does mean not make us the expert of someone’s life. EMPOWERMENT ZONE We explored various strength-based techniques for uplifting and encouraging others in conversation and... Continue Reading →
Create space for feelings to flow. Emotions are neither good or bad. Only labeling makes it so. Don't run from challenging emotions. Instead, lean in and ask: “What are you trying to tell me?" Witness. Observe. Learn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQKomXhKKbE&t=29s The best part is how small fear appears close up! We must go in — to get... Continue Reading →
In Celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month, I wrote a psychology article and did a series of videos and training on community mental health. I hope you enjoy! The Drive Magazine Psych Drive Article Video One Professional Development & Training This is a video of professional development for educational assistants and mental health support staff... Continue Reading →
Last night I had the wonderful opportunity to speak to the new roster of TEDX Windsor speakers at Beachgrove Golf and Country Club in Windsor Ontario. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URKcpc0rEVQ In the 4 min video I advise new TEDX Speakers on how to stay motivated during the extensive and lengthy TEDX preparation process. Reminding speakers HOW THEY DREAMED... Continue Reading →
Time + Energy Audit 1. What area of your life do you need to slow down in? 2. What area of your life do you need to REV IT UP in? https://youtu.be/jq14fr86-Jk ABCD Priority List Make a list of all the things that you have to do today. Order them in terms of A to... Continue Reading →
OPTIMISM BOOTCAMP: Overcoming Learned Helplessness is a dynamic, interactive psychology workshop based on an article I wrote for The Drive Magazine https://youtu.be/z_DNIWYh6vE 1/ Optimism Article https://thedrivemagazine.com/posts/optimism-bootcamp 2/ Optimism Bootcamp - April 2019 https://youtu.be/z_DNIWYh6vE 3/ Optimism Bootcamp - August 2019 https://youtu.be/LgACYyFv2YQ
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ZS9KiA6uQ This was my first video blog (vlog) ever! (Filmed July 2018) I was equal parts terrified and excited. Hence the breathlessness. Upside: I had a blast filming it
Social Psychology Class Part 1: Before Class Preparations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAbH9tKzJhA Part 2: After Class Reflections https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfwz7JVkgLU Your Turn What's your love language? What do you value in relationships?
“Expand your knowledge by expanding your community.” In celebration of this year’s International Women’s Day I had the opportunity to speak at a Windsor Summit called Women with Drive. A local conference organized by a young woman named Cierra Bray, who poured her heart and soul for months into planning, organizing, and promoting the exhilarating …
Continue reading Women with Drive Summit.
Psychology Class The Shadow Effect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aECfb8QNp0 One of the things I love to do is share what’s happening on campus in my psychology class. Today’s Topic: The Shadow Effect Watch this short video and consider the following questions: What is your shadow?How does it serve you?Where does it come from?How do I bring it into... Continue Reading →
Expanding Our WordPress Writing Community. Connecting - Sharing - Expanding The Power of Community This post is an opportunity for you to share all the wonderful things that you're doing as a writer on the world wide web. Including your: WordPress. LinkedIn. Pinterest. Google+. Facebook. Snap Chat. Twitter. Instagram. YouTube. Vimeo. etc. Please share in... Continue Reading →
Belief plays a pivotal role in success. Believing that you have what it takes. Believing that you can try again. Believing in something greater than yourself. Believing you are never alone. Believing your power is greater than your pain. Believing that things are going to get easier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKimTCawJls In this 5 minute training video, I... Continue Reading →
Don’t give up. Great things take time. Sometimes we have to go through the worst. To get to the best. Fall down 7 times. Stand up 8. Today is your day. Your time to rise up! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sw_igZkhv3c Trust and Believe in 2019 This blog post and classroom video above are dedicated to all the students around the... Continue Reading →
Fitness is more than physical I was invited to do a Leadership Training and Development Workshop at a local kickboxing club. https://youtu.be/4468XR7wyyI The ultimate stress release This is where I go to cool my jets and find my joy. So, I was more than excited to take the leadership team's mental fitness up to the next... Continue Reading →
There are two ways of looking at failure. Failure as FEEDBACK. Failure as PUNISHMENT. ⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕ One energizes. The other paralyzes. WHY FAILURE IS NECESSARY I believe that failure is essential for success, at work and in our personal lives. Failure lights our way to what we’re ultimately meant to do. Especially when we embrace it... Continue Reading →
So many people in this world are struggling with what to do with their lives. An existential struggle that did not exist 100 years ago when jobs were more clearly defined. Which is why it is essential to explore purpose in many different ways. PURPOSE 🆚 JOB We must not confuse life purpose with occupation.... Continue Reading →
What percentage of the time do you spend talking about your stress versus talking about your dreams? Arguing for your weaknesses versus championing for your strengths? Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power. So please accept this challenge of beginning your conversations with your dreams instead of your stress. In doing so you... Continue Reading →
“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, not what's left of you." Pause. Be still. Catch your breath. Take a rest. Practice self-care. As often as you can. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H8MKH2-QErg Pause at the end of my video ⬆️ for 30 fun self-care ideas. Do you practice daily self-care? Please share in the comments below.
Reading People Begins with Awareness In reading people lesson #1 I discussed the importance of self awareness before attempting to understand and read others behaviour. “Self-knowledge is the beginning of wisdom.” Reading People: Lesson #2 Adding to the first lesson is an excerpt from my Pitch with Passion presentation with student and community entrepreneurs at the EPIC Genesis Entrepreneurship Centre.... Continue Reading →
How do you respond when a close friend shares a problem with you? Are you a fixer or a listener? If you’re anything like me, my first instinct is to fix the problem. To try and save loved ones from adversity. To rescue them. To make them instantly feel better. I suggest we do the... Continue Reading →
Reframe stressful moments as growth moments. Opportunities moving you one step, one breath, one moment closer to your dreams. One thought debilitates. The other levitates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ucdU7URx5g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czXG8odb7pY During my TEDx Talk I discuss how to thrive under pressure using three stress resilience techniques: challenge, commitment, and control. The purpose of this talk is to help students develop coping skills in empowering, educational, and uplifting ways. Additional Information Blog: Click Here YouTube: Click Here Twitter: Click Here Contact Form: Click Here Interviews: Click Here Articles: Click Here Speaking Services: Click Here
Good news to share! This month I published my first psychology advice column for a Canadian magazine. The same magazine that profiled my work in positive psychology. My intention for the psychology article is to inspire and comfort individuals experiencing loneliness during the holidays. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JU1eYOWaleg Writing Hopes I have been writing psychology textbooks for McGraw-Hill... Continue Reading →
As we head into the weekend, may we all be reminded of the importance of rest in striving for success. If only for a moment. An hour or a day. Be still and let your dreams find you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mDigR8RVXU “What you seek is seeking you”. You hold the key. Breathe. Believe. Receive.
When the going gets tough do you focus on the dream or the sacrifice? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rbWW9jb1Q8 "When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." Viktor Frankl Boost your motivation and raise your energy by laser focusing on what is within your control during challenge and adversity — Your Mindset
Inspiration is everywhere. Today's post is brought to you from my psychology classroom. I hope it inspires you to claim the joy in your life. Good vibes, after all, start on the inside. We spend so much time creating future opportunities that we often forget to claim the magic we’ve manifested - right in front... Continue Reading →
Resilience Training & Education During my psychology speech at the “You Can Do College Event” I share the biological origins of stress and anxiety with 600 grade 10 high school students during a 2 day event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0tKO_mV7uY&t=25s Stress & Anxiety Management I also demonstrate simple strategies for coping with stressful, anxiety-provoking situations. Including: deep breathing... Continue Reading →
JUST SHOW UP The word motivation stems from the Latin word "movere" which means to move. Which is why MOMENTUM is such a powerful force when it comes to motivation. Motivation doesn’t happen before the creative act — it happens during. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYWHVvKW4GY Small steps.Day by day.Week by week.Moving you forward.Closer to your dreams.Just show up.... Continue Reading →
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” Mae West https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sucq3BluxGw&t=5s ◊ In this video clip from my “Pitch with Passion” seminar with student and community entrepreneurs, I discuss the importance of being authentic and true to oneself. ◊ Not everyone is going to like who you are. Not everyone is... Continue Reading →
In this article and interview, I share why putting a time limit on negativity enhances time and energy. https://drandreadinardo.com/2022/04/16/put-a-time-limit-on-negativity/ https://youtu.be/RK7EzyPXRPA Pay attention to how you spend your energy today. Joy needs room to breathe. And so do you.
Trust Your Journey https://youtu.be/Tlejs0QvHDE FEAR MAKES BAD DECISIONS was the “hot topic” during coffee talk today. Hot enough to write today's blog post. Blog discussions are the next best thing to sharing a cup of coffee after all. I hope this message speaks directly to your heart. And reminds you that the still small voice within you... Continue Reading →
PSYCHOLOGY THOUGHTS They say we only use 5-10% of our brain’s full potential. A statement I agree with. Psychology Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwisq9hn8q0 Know thyself Understanding ourselves better, including our brains, is always the first step in tapping into what’s possible, within, and all around us. Hacking the brain Did you know that fear and excitement share the same... Continue Reading →
Thriving Under Pressure 