I sometimes introduce myself as YodaNinja. "Yoda on the outside, Ninja on the inside." Outside, I seem calm and composed. When I speak (or write), what I say can be profound, perplexing... or both. But my inner world is another story. Deep inside of me is a Ninja battleground where thoughts, emotions, ideas, and utter randomness all fight for my attention. Every once in a while, they actually cooperate and I have to say, I'm deadly. But then they go at it again... and "Everybody is Kung Fu fighting." I'm a dad, a husband and a guy whose mind has a mind of it's own. My recovery from my addiction to numbing myself (with pretty much anything I can get my hands on) is a lifelong journey. I live with depression, anxiety and adhd... and sometimes they don't get along very well with my family, or with the rest of my life. Professionaly, I make my living as a Counselling Therapist in Edmonton, Canada. I teach on addiction and psychopathology at City University, and I have a small counselling practice where I use superheroes and other geeky stuff to help people make peace with their own personal YodaNinja. This blog is part of my healing and writing keeps me grounded. I hope that something I have written may add a little bit to your journey. Keep it Real
Originally posted on The Comic Vault:
What makes a great superhero? Is it the costume, is it a tragic backstory? Sometimes, it’s because of an awesome catchphrase. Catchphrases have been around since the earliest days of comics. While it can be fun to make a joke out of a catchphrase, many of them have resonance.…
Guest post by Christine Hill Do you ever find a certain worry dogging your thoughts? Do you blow problems out of proportion, envisioning the worst-case scenario again and again? Are you often restless, unable to focus, with shaky hands and your stomach twisting into knots? Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health challenges in the … More A Toolbox for Coping with Anxiety
Please bear with me. It’s Friday and I need to let off a little steam. Mental health is about finding your safe place and that is what this site is. A safe place for you, and for me. Blessed are the faithful, who delight in Google’s Terms of Service, and who meditate on those … More A Psalm for the Children: “Mom and Dad, Please Fix the WiFi”
Does the mental health system have it wrong? Mental health experiences, like depression and anxiety, are common for most people. In reality, it is rare if a person has not experienced some depression and anxiety. Feeling sad is normal. And so is feeling anxious. Is it healthy to feel sad or to feel anxious? “By … More When is Unhappiness a Good Thing?
Man, what a tough question : “What I wish I had known before I had kids (that I know now)…” (click link for first post in this series) • • • Before I had kids, wow. I can’t remember what it was like. I wish I could tell my kids something profound like follow your heart … More What I Wish I had Known Before I had Kids (That I Know Now)…
I sat down at my laptop and it seemed like minutes went by. And then it hit me: “Where did the time go?” I checked Facebook, made coffee, fixed some older blog posts, drank my coffee and ate a couple of mini doughnuts, and I thought a lot about how I don’t have anything original … More Donuts are More Fun the Older You Get: Random Thoughts on Aging and the Mind
“I wish I had known that my children’s behavior was a language—that their actions and words were telling me something about what they were feeling or thinking. I wish I’d remembered that they did not get up in the morning plotting to do things to frustrate me. I wish I’d known that meltdowns and explosions … More What I Wish I had Known Before I had Kids (That I Know Now)…
Four things you need to know about your inner Critic ___________ So you are a driven man? Well, honestly I’m surprised that you took time to read this. Most of us, the driven type, don’t have time to read articles that bring attention to who we are or what we do. There I said it… … More I Am a Driven Man, And It’s Killing Me
What do you think, about how you think? How do you acknowledge but then ‘ignore’ unhelpful thoughts? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section. Keep it Real
What do you think? I find it’s easy to get hooked thinking about and stressing over the things I have little control over. I can’t change my moods, I cannot erase my fears or make things easier. But I focus much of my energy on these things. I am working right now on settling intentions. … More I’m Hooked, and Sometimes I like It!
Getting High on Recovery 